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| clevescene.com | October 20-November 2, 2021

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CONTENTS

OCTOBER 20-NOVEMBER 2, 2021 • VOL. 52 NO 08 Upfront .......................................7 Feature ..................................... 10 Get Out .....................................30 Dedicated to Free Times founder Richard H. Siegel (1935-1993) and Scene founder Richard Kabat Publisher Andrew Zelman Editor Vince Grzegorek Editorial Music Editor Jeff Niesel Senior Writer Sam Allard Staff Writer Brett Zelman Dining Editor Douglas Trattner Visual Arts Writer Shawn Mishak Stage Editor Christine Howey Editorial Intern Emma Sedlak Advertising Senior Multimedia Account Executive John Crobar, Shayne Rose Creative Services Production Manager Haimanti Germain Editorial Layout Evan Sult Staff Photographer Emanuel Wallace

Eat ............................................ 33 Music ........................................ 36 Savage Love ..............................38 Euclid Media Group Chief Executive Officer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP Digital Services Stacy Volhein Digital Operations Coordinator Jaime Monzon www.euclidmediagroup.com

The concert for the Rock Hall was the Scene cover when the museum officially opened in 1995.

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Paul Meade Paul Weinzimmer Pete Honsberger Phil Kidd Philip Marquis Phillip Trexler Priscilla Marchand R Kretsch RP Rachael Collyer Rachel Baird Rachel Dissell Rachel Hepfl Randi Allard Raymond Shively Rebecca Rak Rebecca Willson Reem Taye Rick Rosen Rob Holub Rob Holub Rob Rains Robert Ancker Robert Brown Robert Jennings Robert Prendes Robert Quartell Robert Rainieri Robert Stockham Robert Stoerkel Robert Swenson Robert & Matthew Goebel-Royer Robyn Herr Roger Stanbridge Roger Zender Roldo Bartimole Ron Ehresman Ron Smith Ross Dibello Rowan Morrison Ryan Collins Ryan Jones Ryan Joseph Ryan Martin Sam Friedman Sam Seidman Samuel Learner Samuel Martello Samuel Rogal Sandra Albro Sarah Cohen Sarah Peecher Scott Esterly Scott Garlock Scott Gregory Scott Ruebensaal Scott Sazima Scott Stahl Sean Jeter Sean Martin Sera Nelson Shari Nacson Sharron Harper Shawn Sedlak

Shelby Bowser Shelby Stuart Sherry Noll Stanley Gromek Stephanie Hand-Cannane Stephen Bloomfield Stephen Luttner Stephen Roberts Stephen Suntala Steve Eisenberg Steve Lorenz Steve Miller Steven Pecsenye Sue Mazzone Susan Baker Tami Tam Tanya Cohan Tanya Reynolds Ted Stratton Teresa Schleicher Terrence Metter Terry Davis Thea Miklowski Theodore Ferringer Theresa Slivka Therese Pohorence Thomas Euerle Thomas Fladung Thomas Gilbride Thomas Goldthwait Thomas Wells Tim Breidenstein Tim Dewald Tim Dewald Tim Gibbons Tim Harrison Tim Kilkenny Tim Singer Todd Smith Tom Breckenridge Tom Kuty Toni Morgan Tony Marchetti Tracy Krupitzer Trad Burns Trevor Pollack Troy And Hannah Kozee Trudy Hutchinson Ute Vilfroy Valerie Slusarz Vasyl Rabosyuk Vince Guerrieri Virginia Benjamin Waldo Acosta Walter Bruckner Wayne Kuznar Wes Keaton Wes Pelletier Will Gibson William Hoffman William SKORA Wind-Thunder Natalie Zach Mikrut Zack Meisel Zo Carlisle

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October 20-November 2, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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| clevescene.com | October 20-November 2, 2021

UPFRONT

Photo by Sam Allard

KEVIN KELLEY-CONTROLLED COUNCIL LEADERSHIP FUND APPEARS TO FLOUT CAMPAIGN FINANCE LIMITS IN MULTIPLE COUNCIL RACES THE COUNCIL LEADERSHIP Fund, a political action committee controlled by Cleveland City Council President and mayoral candidate Kevin Kelley, may have repeatedly flouted campaign finance limits in the 2021 election cycle.

According to contribution caps established by city council in 2016, PACs may donate up to $3,000 to council candidates, but are thereafter precluded from participating in campaign activities “in coordination, cooperation or consultation with” a given campaign.

In the current city council races, the Council Leadership Fund has donated the $3,000 maximum to seven city council incumbents: Kevin Bishop in Ward 2, Delores Gray in Ward 5, Blaine Griffin in Ward 6, Kevin Conwell in Ward 9, Brian Mooney in Ward 11, Anthony Brancatelli in Ward 12, and Jasmin Santana in Ward 14. In every race except Ward 6, where Blaine Griffin is running unopposed, the Council Leadership Fund has made additional expenditures, well in excess of the cap, to support the

incumbent.

In Anthony Brancatelli’s Ward 12, (Slavic Village, Old Brooklyn, Tremont), challenger Rebecca Maurer filed a complaint with the Ohio Election Commission last month noting that Kelley’s PAC wrote a $3,000 check to Brancatelli and then subsequently paid for three mailers that went to Ward 12 residents.

“Printing and sending these three mailers undoubtedly cost thousands and thousands of dollars,” Maurer wrote in a social media thread about her complaint. “And because the PAC was sending these out, I don’t think the incumbent sent a single piece of mail that he paid for himself — one of the largest expenses in a campaign.”

According to the Council Leadership Fund’s most recent campaign finance report, filed on Sept. 23, Maurer’s allegations appear to be correct. On July 9, the PAC wrote Brancatelli a $3,000 check. Two days prior, it paid $1,643.93 to the Louisville, Kentucky-based My Campaign Store

for Brancatelli signs. On Aug. 24, it made three payments to Qwestcom Graphics for palm cards and mailings ($3,005.22), daily chasers ($1,998.00) and vote by mail packets ($1,500.00), on behalf of Brancatelli’s campaign. All told, the Council Leadership Fund spent $8,147.15 more than the maximum allowed to support Brancatelli in his race against Maurer.

Both Kelley and Brancatelli denied that this was improper when Scene inquired about the expenditures last month. Kelley’s campaign spokesperson said that PACs were allowed to make both direct contributions and “independent expenditures” to support campaigns. Brancatelli said that he neither controlled nor approved spending by the Council Leadership Fund.

But Maurer’s argument to the Ohio Election Commission was that these “independent expenditures” were hardly independent.

“These mailers use the incumbent’s official logo, phone number, and e-mail. They are written

by the incumbent—they say “me” and “my.” One even has a letter encouraging people to vote signed by the incumbent,” Maurer wrote. Her campaign treasurer, Nora Kelley, told Scene that it looked to them like a case of “textbook coordination.”

According to the Council Leadership Fund’s campaign finance filing, versions of the situation in Ward 12 were duplicated in five other Cleveland wards. The fund donated the maximum $3,000 and then made additional contributions in the form of signs, mailers and other campaign literature. In its filing, the Council Leadership Fund referred to these excess contributions as “independent expenditures.”

In Kevin Bishop’s Ward 2 and Delores Gray’s Ward 5, the Council Leadership Fund contributed $5,833.30 in excess of the $3,000 maximum. For both candidates, the fund made two purchases for signs and mailers to the Cincinnati-based Patriot Signage in July and August.

In Kevin Conwell’s Ward 9, where Conwell is running unopposed, the Council Leadership Fund gave $3,610.22 more than the $3,000 max when it purchased “poly bags” — yard signs — from Patriot Signage in July.

In Brian Mooney’s Ward 11, the Council Leadership Fund contributed $3,746.66 more than the $3,000 max in the form of two purchases of signs and printed material from Fulton Sign & Decal and Qwestcom Graphics, respectively.

And in Jasmin Santana’s Ward 14, the Council Leadership Fund contributed $4,384.80 more than the $3,000 maximum in a single purchase of signs from Madison Graphics.

When reached for comment, a Kelley spokeswoman reiterated that PACs were allowed to make both monetary contributions and independent expenditures of the sort described above. “Kevin did not coordinate with any candidates on any independent expenditures,” she wrote in an email.

Richard Starr is running against Delores Gray in Ward 5 (Central).

Gray was appointed by the outgoing Phyllis Cleveland earlier this year and is already the beneficiary of dollars designed to preserve incumbents’ power. Starr told Scene that he fully expected the Council Leadership Fund to be involved in his council race—they did the same thing to keep Phyllis Cleveland in office, he said—but he was unaware of the magnitude of the Kelleydirected contributions.

“This is a big deal,” he said. “In these races, raising north of 10 or 15

October 20-November 2, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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UPFRONT thousand dollars is enough to compete, so we’re talking at least half the battle. Signs and mailers are some of the most important, expensive items in a campaign. It’s not shocking necessarily, because it’s just old-school politics—you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours—but I’ve got to be out here fundraising dollar for dollar, conversation by conversation.”

Starr said that he has had individuals donate the maximum $1,500 to his campaign who wanted to give more, but who were limited by campaign finance caps.

In council races, while PACs may donate up to $3,000, individuals may only contribute $1,500.

“We have to play by the rules,” Starr said. “But you have to remember, when you’re an elected official, the rules don’t apply to you. They’re gonna do what they’re gonna do.”

Starr said that as he’s knocked on doors in Ward 5, he has gotten the sense that people are fed up with exactly this sort of flouting of the rules by local leadership.

“They’re ready for a new day,” he said, of Cleveland voters. “They know that if leaders were following the rules, we probably wouldn’t be the poorest big city in America.”

Kevin Kelley will face Justin Bibb in the Cleveland mayoral runoff election on Nov. 2. In the race, he has been endorsed by six sitting council members: Blaine Griffin, Kevin Conwell, Kevin Bishop, Delores Gray, Brian Mooney and Basheer Jones. Barring Jones, who is unable to seek re-election in Ward 7 after running for mayor, all have received maximum contributions and additional “independent expenditures” from the Council Leadership Fund.

That’s not surprising, given the the fund’s stated purpose. When Scene reported on the Council Leadership Fund in 2017, Kelley was not shy about how he allocated the PAC’s substantial reserves.

“The fund supports those council people who support council leadership’s agenda,” he said.

Supporting “council leadership’s agenda” just means supporting Kevin Kelley. And right now, that means supporting his candidacy for mayor. But Kelley’s spokesperson denied that there was any connection between the Council Leadership Fund dollars and the endorsements.

“Any council member who

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endorsed Kevin Kelley for mayor did so because they believe he is the best person for the job,” she wrote. “They know his work ethic, what he’s been able to accomplish on behalf of Cleveland’s residents and believe he’s ready to lead on day one.”

Councilman Kevin Conwell, who received the max contribution and additional signs, agreed. He said that this is the first election in which he’s received a check from the Council Leadership Fund and said that it was not to buy his support in the mayor’s race but because Blaine Griffin and Phyllis Cleveland had advocated on his behalf. (Cleveland. com reported this weekend that Kevin Kelley has turned over the Council Leadership Fund to Griffin, who is likely to assume the Council Presidency if Kelley wins the mayor’s race.)

“If they’re gonna give it to me, I’ll take it,” Conwell said. “You never know when you might need it.”

Conwell is running unopposed but said having the cash on hand can’t hurt and that he’s likely to give it to council colleagues if they request support. He said in the past, while he’d asked for money from Kelley’s PAC, his popularity in the ward meant that he didn’t need funding as urgently as colleagues running in more competitive races. In 2017, he said, the PAC did purchase signs for him.

Conwell acknowledged that these independent expenditures were “in kind contributions” — “That’s still monetary,” he said — but that he hadn’t drilled down on the rules enough to consider the legal implications.

“I’ve never received money from the Council Leadership Fund before this year, so I haven’t gotten deep into it,” he said. “But there was no coordination. I’m too much of a maverick.”

Delores Gray, when reached

by Scene, invited us to discuss our questions with the Council Leadership Fund’s attorneys. Kevin Bishop, Brian Mooney and Jasmin Santana did not respond to request for comment made via text, voicemail and email.

-Sam Allard

Why on Earth is Marty Freaking Sweeney Endorsing Justin Bibb?

Marty Sweeney, the former Cleveland City Council President who groomed current Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley and who recently weaseled his way back into local elected office—Marty Sweeney, perhaps the richest and most

| clevescene.com | October 20-November 2, 2021

enduring symbol of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party’s rot—has endorsed Justin Bibb for Mayor.

“For the past ten months, Justin has shown he will listen to the concerns and ideas of residents and community stakeholders,” said Sweeney, in a statement provided by the Bibb campaign. “I met him over a year ago on my front porch and since then I’ve watched him crisscross the city taking hundreds of questions in backyards, on front porches and in virtual forums.

Justin Bibb is ready to listen and lead on Day One.” The Sweeney endorsement is a curious development for a number of reasons. In the first place, Sweeney is tribally affiliated with Kelley. They are both Irishmen of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party’s old and corrupt school. Kelley was not only Sweeney’s majority whip on city council, but his protégé and heir. It was Kelley who, alongside the frail and cowardly Bradys, conceived and orchestrated the plot to reinstall Sweeney on County Council earlier this year, a disgusting episode.

On the flipside, the Bibb campaign surely knows that Sweeney’s endorsement matters very little from a vote-total perspective. It’s possible they’re sensitive to Kelley’s Issue 24 critiques and see profit in gaining influential supporters on the white West Side, whomever they may be.

But Bibb is also far ahead in the polls, has looked more assured in recent campaign appearances, and has built momentum in recent days with a smattering of high-profile endorsements, including by Nina Turner and primary challenger Sandra Williams.

For Bibb, the aim in accepting and promoting the Sweeney endorsement is less about keeping their foot on the gas and more about placing it on Kelley’s throat. It’s about asserting dominance, gloating, having fun getting under Kelley’s skin.

This is not a particularly becoming look, but the Bibb team has reason to feel spicy. Kelley continues to patronize and belittle Bibb in candidate forums, not only criticizing his use of “buzzwords” but asking rhetorically whether or not Bibb knows how government works. (Bibb told City Club CEO Dan Moulthrop last week that the biggest challenge of the campaign trail has been keeping his composure.)

Coupled with the Kelley campaign stunt earlier last week, in which Kelley’s team mocked Bibb’s lawyer after he sent a cease and desist letter over Kelley’s characterizations of Bibb’s stance on Issue 24, the Bibb team probably wanted to send a

message to Kelley in the shape of a giant middle finger.

Sweeney did the trick. He’s too stupid to understand that his endorsement is mostly being used to taunt a former ally, and too selfinterested not to leap at the prospect of allying with a presumed victor.

Because he likes feeling important, Sweeney gets to be Brutus, delivering what the Bibb campaign no doubt regards as a poetic dagger, turning the tables on Kelley by urging residents to “ignore the political rhetoric about experience.”

“Justin Bibb and his team will bring the real change we need to tackle violent crime, poverty, housing and other major quality of life issues,” Sweeney said, in the statement. “It’s always been about safety and services and things have not changed. Justin is the right leader at the right time.”

-Sam Allard

DIGIT WIDGET $26 million ARPA dollars that Cleveland City Council’s Safety Committee voted should be allocated toward the Department of Public Safety.

$10.2 million The allocation for the Division of Police, to be used for a new police SWAT vehicle, sedans and SUVs, surveillance cameras and riot gear.

$13.25 Average monthly cost of menstrual products for women.

Cleveland councilwoman Jasmin Santana introduced legislation this week to make menstrual products free at City Hall and rec centers.

46% Low-income women in St. Louis who said their budgets were so constrained that they’d had to choose between menstrual products and food during the previous year.

October 20-November 2, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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FEATURE

A LOOK BACK AT 50 OF THE BEST

By Scene staff past and present

Founded 50+ years ago as a music magazine, Scene — along with the commercial radio station WMMS and heavyweight promoter Belkin Productions — helped contribute to Cleveland’s emergence as a hotbed for rock ’n’ roll in the ’70s, a reputation that still carries significant weight to this day.

In honor of the paper’s 40th anniversary in 2010, we looked back at some of the most memorable concerts from the last four decades. Now, to mark the paper’s 50th anniversary and to celebrate the Rock Hall’s upcoming inductions in Cleveland, we’ve reprinted some of that article and dug into the archives to add a few other reviews that didn’t appear the first time around.

We’ve also added concerts that Scene has reviewed in the past ten years too.

Is it subjective? Damn straight it is. For all the shows we saw, there were plenty we missed, and critics don’t always agree amongst themselves or with fans. But it’s still a mammoth Mount Rushmore of Cleveland shows.

Scene staffers past and present, particularly Anastasia Pantsios, Michael Gallucci and Jeff Niesel, contributed to this list.

Arcade Fire BEACHLAND BALLROOM March 3, 2008 At first blush, it seemed odd that a Canadian band was shilling for a U.S. Presidential candidate in Barack Obama. The Montreal band had bypassed Cleveland on its tour behind 2007’s buzzworthy Neon Bible, so it was extra special to have these two abbreviated (but free) shows to get out the vote for the Illinois senator. The concerts were announced only a few days before they took place. After the mad scramble for tickets ended, concertgoers with and without tickets were (literally) left standing out in a cold spring drizzle waiting to get inside. When the faithful

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finally made it inside, they saw the band work through a set list highlighting their best tunes and an eclectic mix of covers that included David Bowie’s “Heroes,” John Lennon’s “Gimme Some Truth,” and Sam Cooke’s “Change Is Gonna Come.” To the chagrin of many, the political overtones were sometimes heavy-handed — frontman Win Butler’s between-song banter wasn’t exactly veiled. But at the end of the night, it was the Arcade Fire more than a presidential candidate that everyone believed in.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z FIRSTENERGY STADIUM July 25, 2018 Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Shaun “Jay-Z” Carter need you to know

| clevescene.com | October 20-November 2, 2021

they are still crazy in love. They want you to know that they have moved on from their tabloid fodder years, that they have fought for their marriage and that they are stronger.

But they couldn’t just prove this to themselves; they had to prove it to the rest of the world by heading out on a giant spectacle of a tour together.

Hammering home the point, the two arrived at FirstEnergy Stadium on a descending platform while wearing gleaming white and holding hands.

There were no dancers yet to fill the expansive, two-runway stage — there was only the two of them and the shadows of the band behind.

Through the cheers and screams, they rolled into Jay-Z’s hit with Justin Timberlake, “Holy Grail,” stomping and gliding around the stage. This was quickly continued by “Part II (On the Run)” and “’03 Bonnie & Clyde,” a song written back when the couple was still only dating. There was clearly no lip syncing in this show. Beyonce’s impeccable vocals may have sounded pretty much flawless, and Jay’s rhymes were shot off with perfect abandon, but it was most certainly real. From “Drunk in Love” to “Crazy in Love,” the concert featured nearly 40 songs from the pair, and it lasted more than two and a half hours.

The Black Keys BEACHLAND TAVERN May 7, 2008 Although perfectly capable of filling large theaters, Akron’s Black Keys decided to hold a secret MySpace show in the Beachland’s tiny tavern

CONCERTS

simply because it’s where they played their first-ever show. “We are the Black Keys. We are from Akron, Ohio,” singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach said at the outset.

Looking a bit more Grizzly Adams than normal with his lengthy hair and beard, Auerbach tore into the opening tune, “Same Old Thing,” with as much abandon as he would if he were playing a far bigger stage.

Two of the band’s best-known (and catchiest) tunes — “Girl Is on My Mind” and “Set You Free” — kept the groove going strong. By the time of the closing number, the band was in a sweaty fervor and the audience, which had the Tavern floor shaking, was right there with it. A two-song encore was followed by Auerbach politely saying, “We’ll see you next time.” Fans received a free poster on their way out.

David Bowie MUSIC HALL Sept. 22, 1972 Before Bowie ever touched American soil, Clevelanders knew and loved him, thanks to WMMS and its program director, Billy Bass, who pushed Bowie’s groundbreaking 1972 glitter-rock album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. So anticipation was high for his sold-out show at Cleveland’s 3,000-seat Music Hall, Bowie’s first-ever concert in the U.S. With their dyed, rooster-shag haircuts and sparkling jumpsuits, Bowie and his band introduced a whopping dose of theatricality to a music scene mired in earnest

S IN CLEVELAND FROM THE PAST 50 YEARS granola folk and the flannel-shirt rock of bands like the Allman Brothers — an influence already clear in the satin and velvet sported by audience members. Bowie delved into Ziggy Stardust and its predecessor, Hunky Dory, for tunes like “Moonage Daydream,” “Suffragette City,” “Hang on to Yourself,” “Life on Mars,” “Changes,” and the soon-to-be-released single “The Jean Genie” — all tunes that would eventually become classic-rock staples, but were fresh and offbeat at the time. The show only whetted Clevelanders’ appetite for Bowie: He wedged two more Cleveland shows into the brief tour, returning in November to play two sold-out nights at the 10,000-seat Public Hall, one of the city’s busiest music venues at the time.

Garth Brooks DUSTY ARMADILLO Oct. 28, 2019 It might be a cliche, but country singer Garth Brooks clearly loves to perform whether he’s playing to a few hundred people or several thousand fans. While in the midst of a stadium tour that was reportedly averaging 83,000 fans per stop, Brooks played a handful of shows at what he calls dive bars across the nation. For this gig, he and a police escort rolled into the Dusty Armadillo in Rootstown to play one such show and left a lasting impression as he truly embraced the intimate club’s atmosphere, shaking hands with fans who stood up against the stage and sharing stories about the early days of his

David Bowie.

career. Fans could win tickets through country radio station promotions, and about 700 lucky patrons made the trek to the bar and restaurant for the show. Brooks

1972 Scene cover

started the 90-minute set with “All Day Long,” and as he sang the line “Somebody’s gotta find that honkytonky out on the county line,” he gestured emphatically to suggest

the Dusty Armadillo was just that kind of place. With its mix of heavy guitars and chirping fiddle, the tune served as the perfect opening number for this terrific set.

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concert mostly alternated sets by inductees like Little Richard, James Brown, Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, and Johnny Cash sampling the tunes that got them inducted. Brief sets also were turned in by younger acts like Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, and Natalie Merchant, offering tributes to long-gone artists. Jerry Lee Lewis joined Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band for renditions of “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’,” while Springsteen, unlike most of the non-inducted artists, performed an exceptionally lengthy set that included his own tunes.

Akron native Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, a devoted vegan, pulled the diva move of the day by refusing to go on until a Burger King sign was covered up.

JACOBS PAVILION AT NAUTICA Aug. 7, 2018 Annie-B Parson, the artistic director at Brooklyn’s Big Dance Theater, worked with former Talking Heads singer David Byrne on the choreography for the tour in support of his solo album, American Utopia.

While it was in the planning stages, Byrne told Parson that she would have a completely empty stage to work with. None of the instruments he planned to use in the concerts would have to sit on the stage. The novel concept would allow Byrne and his 12-piece backing band to dance and sing as if they were on the street or performing around a campfire.

Byrne brought the result of that collaboration with Parson to town for this terrific 100-minute show at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica. The visually striking concert combined music and performance art in an extremely unique manner.

Chance the Rapper BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER May 19, 2017 If God’s will was to dampen the mood of Chance the Rapper’s set at the Blossom Music Center with a messy bout of rain, it wasn’t enough to deter the showman, or his legion of young followers, from staying positive throughout this sold out show. In fact, the rapper’s Christian faith seemed to stoke the fire that ignited his exuberant performance, though it shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise to anybody who has heard Coloring Book, the artist’s latest mix-tape, whose spirituallysteeped songs factored largely into the 80-minute set. Fittingly, Chance, short for Chancelor Bennett, opened the show with a mash-up that heavily featured “Blessings,” a song whose soulful melody roared from the audience in the packed pavilion. Even on the lawn, which overflowed with teens dressed in skimpy summer clothing despite the chilly rain, fans didn’t let the week’s only night of less-than-ideal weather stop them from praising the act, which also featured backing band the Social Experiment. Much of the performance’s artistry can be attributed to the members of that group, a three-piece that also included a small ensemble of singers, which supplied the show’s mostlylive soundtrack. In particular, the trumpeting of Nico Segal — whom Chance referred to by his stage name, Donnie Trumpet — injected a crisp and jazzy tone that carried songs such as “All We Got” and

Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

Photo by Raven Varona/Parkwood/PictureGroup

“Angels.” Chance rounded out the show with a tender rendition of the reprise of “Blessings,” and white confetti showered the elated crowd on its way out of the venue.

electronic keyboards to avoid the hassle of lining up and setting up a proper acoustic piano and a vintage Hammond organ with Leslie speakers.

The Choir

Eric Church

BEACHLAND BALLROOM

ROCKET MORTGAGE FIELDHOUSE

Nov. 3-4, 2018

April 19, 2019

These two sold-out shows at the Beachland Ballroom reaffirmed the band’s significance. Early in the first show’s set, the band established it wouldn’t be performing “It’s Cold Outside,” as it belonged to the 1966 garage-y Choir incarnation, who played a one-night “40th Anniversary” show at the Beachland back in 2006. This show, rather, celebrated the reissue of a terrific lost 1968-recorded Choir album, Artifact. To celebrate the release’s warm response, all five Choir boys who played on the album reunited to perform together for the first time in years. The lineup featured Jim Bonfanti on drums with Ken Margolis and Phil Giallombardo on keyboards, Randy Klawon on guitar and Denny Carleton on bass. These guys, along with two female backing vocalists, nailed the instrumentation and vocals with relentlessly rockin’ energy and proficiency. The crowd ate it up. The weekend’s sets followed 1960s custom of original material (the Artifact songs) plus favorite cover tunes. Procol Harum was a primary influence on the 1968 Choir, and no less than five Procol Harum covers were among the 20 total songs performed. Procol Harum’s piano-plus-organ sound was central to the 1968 Choir’s aesthetic. The only disappointment of the evening was that the band wimped out with

At the start of an epic, three-hourplus concert at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, country singer-guitarist Eric Church warned the capacity crowd about what he had in store.

“We are going to give it everything we got,” he said. “If you just meet us halfway, it’ll be the best damn show you ever saw.” He wasn’t kidding.

Church and his terrific backing band gave a Springsteen-like performance that drew from all six of his studio albums and featured more than 30 tunes. The concert, the first of a two-night stand at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, featured all the trappings of an arena rock show too. There was a multi-tiered stage, a gigantic video screen that occasionally separated into panels that hung from the arena’s rafters, and a party pit filled with rabid fans who brought items for Church to sign (and he obliged them throughout the night).

The Dead Boys AGORA THEATRE March 22, 1977 Most Clevelanders — even those in the underground/punk scene of the mid-’70s — wouldn’t have picked chaotic loudmouths the Dead Boys for a breakout band. Even the other bands in that scene just wished they would stop being obnoxious and go away. Fat chance. Singer Stiv Bators, guitarists Cheetah Chrome and Jimmy Zero, bassist Jeff Magnum, and drummer Johnny Blitz unleashed their recorded mission statement, Young, Loud and Snotty, on Sire Records in 1977. That same year, they headlined a show at the Agora, a big step up from smaller clubs — like the Pirates Cove and the Viking — they’d played in their earlier days. The band thrashed and sneered its way through tunes like “Sonic Reducer” and “What Love Is,” while Bators drooled copiously, rolled on the floor, and rooted around in his unzipped pants. But they saved the best for last: Bators’ role model and the band’s inspiration, former Stooges frontman Iggy Pop, staggered onstage to join his protégés in a rendition of the Stooges’ “Search and Destroy.”

Future and Migos BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER May 27, 2017

Concert for the Rock Hall MUNICIPAL STADIUM Sept. 2, 1995 It was a long day and night on the lakefront when dozens of contemporary stars and rock pioneers gathered to celebrate the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. The ten-hour

Lebron James led the charge of a small entourage of then-Cavs that came to this gig, including dad-hat rocking Tristan Thompson, Deron Williams, Dahntay Jones and the fashionably late but ever-smiling J.R. Smith. In front of semi-entrancing, semi-stock footage-y background visuals, the three rappers known as Migos came onto stage armed

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with their A game. Offset wore his denim-on-camo-on-denim, Takeoff was in his typical Cobain-referencing white sunglasses and Quavo looked like a spelling bee champion with a beige T-shirt tucked into some faded sky-blue jeans strapped with a light brown belt. Running through almost the entirety of their latest record, Culture, Migos unleashed a round of album cuts to drum up their base, from “Get Right Witcha” to “Slippery” to “Kelly Price.” As security guards contained the small mob of concert-goers taking photos around the Cavs’ section, champagne bottles were popped, and Lebron puffed a cigar – the party was in full effect. In front of dueling “FUTURE” and “HNDRXX” DJ booths, a suave, understated Future slowly emerged, yellow hoodie and dark shades enveloping his alien aura. He was the top billing on this tour, but a bigger font couldn’t convey the composed veteran performance that Future brought to emerge as the headliner amongst headliners. The 33-year-old Atlantan fully inhabited this rockstar role. He owned the stage, and his almost 90-minute performance was diverse and immersive.

Green Day HOUSE OF BLUES April 16, 2015 When the Sex Pistols were belatedly inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, singer Johnny Rotten wanted nothing to do with the hoopla. Not Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong. Prior to its induction, Green Day, which single-handedly reintroduced punk rock to the masses thanks to some monster hits it had in the ’90s and ’00s, played a sold out show at House of Blues that served as a celebration for both the band and its fans.

In the band’s first live performance in a year, Armstrong appeared genuinely humbled by the experience, and the band sounded sharper than ever as it really fed off the energy of the packed-to-the-gills club (some fans even camped out overnight to ensure a good spot on the stage floor in front of the stage). Regularly hopping on top of the speaker monitor to beckon the audience to sing-a-long, the bushy-haired Armstrong reveled in the capacity crowd’s adoration. The concert began with a stripped-down performance by the band’s original lineup, which featured Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and original drummer John Kiffmeyer. The set gave the band an opportunity to share memories and play a few early tunes.

That set’s opening tune “Don’t Leave

IDLES.

Me,” suggested the elements that would make Green Day famous — snarling vocals and infectious guitar riffs. Playing many of the songs for the first time in years, the guys clearly enjoyed revisiting their back catalog.

Hard Travelin’: The Life and Legacy of Woody Guthrie SEVERANCE HALL Sept. 1, 1996 This concert launched the American Music Master Series, an annual conference and concert series that is now one of the Rock Hall’s marquee events. The first installment paid tribute to Dust Bowl-era folk icon Woody Guthrie, inducted in 1988 as an early influence. Guthrie’s protest singer son Arlo gave the keynote address, and the concert that followed featured big-name acts such as Bruce Springsteen, the Indigo Girls, and Ani DiFranco, all of them belting out Guthrie songs.

Highlights captured on the 2000 live album ’Til We Outnumber ‘Em include Springsteen’s take on “Plane Wreck at Los Gatos” and DiFranco’s hushed version of “Do Re Me.” A mix of music and spoken word, the concert was immortalized in a collection of essays published by the Wesleyan University Press.

The Hives BEACHLAND BALLROOM June 7, 2002 Thanks to a ticketing glitch, the Beachland oversold this pairing of Sweden’s Hives with the Mooney Suzuki and the New Bomb Turks, all hot bands riding the wave of yet another garage rock revival. Some fans were miffed to discover that even having a ticket didn’t guarantee

Photo by Jacob DeSmit

entry, and one of them climbed atop the Beachland’s roof and pulled the fuse on the air conditioner, turning the Ballroom into a sauna.

That didn’t prevent the Hives from coming out in suits and ties and rocking their asses off. Frontman Pelle Almqvist climbed atop speakers and dove into the crowd as the band rumbled through tunes from its second studio album, Veni Vidi Vicious. It was a true coming-out party for the Beachland, which had been open for only about two years.

This is still widely considered one of the club’s best shows — quite a feat for a place that hosts some 600 concerts a year.

KISS/New York Dolls ALLEN THEATRE June 14, 1974 Kiss came on with a malfunctioning P.A. system, but it was repaired during the first song.

Once this was fixed, they were received enthusiastically. People were screaming and whistling after each song. For a new group with only one LP to work from, they’re pretty good. And their stage antics helped keep the audience amused. Fireworks, sirens, lights and acrobatics; they had it all.

Sure, it was childish, but Kiss plays damn good music; fast, loud and raunchy. The Dolls’ show opened up with a black and white movie, in which they were depicted as gangsters or lipstick murderers, to be exact. Then, all of a sudden, they presented themselves with “Just Lookin’ for a Kiss.” The audience loved it, and the Dolls continued with familiars like “Trash,” “Stranded in the Jungle,” and Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Don’t Start Me Talkin’.” Then, the

unexpected happened. The applause dwindled until there must have been only twenty or thirty people applauding after each song. They just sat there with dumb looks on their faces. It was embarrassing.

I’ve heard groups that were much worse than the Dolls. They’re still far from being the most mature band in the world, but they have an absolute familiarity with their material which more than compensates.

Let’s be a bit nationalistic. The Dolls were America’s best answer to all that glittery glam-rock that’d been coming from overseas. What made the Dolls so wonderfully different is that every bit of energy at their disposal was exhausted in reaching out to make that precious rock ‘n’ roll connection possible. And any band that believes in its audience enough to work that hard for them should see that energy reciprocated.

IDLES BEACHLAND BALLROOM May 14, 2019 To a bystander observing the Beachland Ballroom on the night of this show, the line of ratty teensto-boomers decked in clothes black, ripped or studded waiting outside the bar’s entrance, combined with the sound of buzzsaw-sharp guitars that leaked from the bar throughout the night, might have suggested that blood, or at least sweat, would spill on the dance floor for English rock quintet IDLES stop in Cleveland.

Those inside the club saw a very different, though no less sweaty, outcome, as the hardcore punks inspired the most loving mosh-pit to hit the city in some time with a tight 75-minute set. Just this year, the band released a song that pays homage to the Collinwood club.

Michael Jackson RICHFIELD COLISEUM Oct. 10 and 11, 1988 Michael Jackson’s Bad tour — his first solo concert run and one of the highest-grossing rock tours ever — was one of the year’s concert highlights. Though Jackson’s bloom had faded ever-so slightly since his mega-smash Thriller — these were the years predating his sexual-abuse allegations and sham marriage to Lisa Marie Presley — Jackson continued to top the charts with hits like “Dirty Diana” and “Man in the Mirror.” This elaborately orchestrated spectacle lit up the rural Richfield Coliseum. Through the haze of time, we distinctly recall two things about the night. One

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Michael Jackson.

was the jaw-dropping moment when Jackson disappeared from one side of the stage and nearly instantaneously reappeared on the opposite end in another costume. The second was that Don King and Mike Tyson were seated in front of us. Cordoned off and out of reach, the boxer’s muscular frame and the promoter’s gravity-defying ’do created distinctive silhouettes. In the end, a killer stage show, a strong musical performance, and a cast of talented, perfectly synced backup dancers that became the King of Pop’s trademark cast its spell on the crowd.

Kuyahoga Fest BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER Aug. 3, 2006 Conceived as an annual event, the Kuyahoga Fest was yet another ill-fated attempt to give Cleveland a defining music festival. Though it didn’t take hold, the daylong concert put on as a joint effort between House of Blues and the Grog Shop was still a helluva good time. Headliners the Flaming Lips predictably wreaked havoc while Death Cab for Cutie delivered a typically reserved set that was appropriately punctuated by a cover of the R.E.M. tune “Cuyahoga,” a song that’s explicitly about our cherished burning river. Sonic Youth, the Hold Steady, the Go! Team, She Wants Revenge, and Wolfmother rounded out the terrific

Scene concert review/Janet Macoska

lineup. Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne proudly declared it “the greatest festival that anyone can put on” and continued to rave about it years later. Too bad it didn’t survive to see a second summer.

Led Zeppelin RICHFIELD COLISEUM April 27, 1977 This show in particular was nothing less than a reassertion of Led Zeppelin’s status among the Rolling Stones, Who and any other acknowledged deities of rock. It presented a challenge — as well as a set of standards to equal — to new-wave heroes such as Aerosmith, Frampton and Blue Oyster Cult.

Zeppelin’s three-hour set passed with flying colors. In my personal shorthand estimation of a concert’s quality: it didn’t seem that long.

The amount of material played, the musicianship involved, and the internal and external (special effects) manifestations of their music merged into an impressive, at times aweinspiring, whole. The width of styles, moods and atmospheres, paired with consistent authenticity, crossed one of the widest spectrums of which any current combo seems capable.

Zeppelin’s show, considerably revamped since their ’75 appearance in the same arena, was in general a reaffirmation of the two musical forms upon which their style was October 20-November 2, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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Nine Inch Nails.

first constructed; improvisational blues-rock and acoustic-dominated, folk stylings.

After opening with an apropos “The Song Remains the Same,” the first third of their show was dominated by lengthy, open-ended structures such as “In My Time of Dying,” “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” and “Since I’ve Been Loving You.” The maximum amount of instrumental stretching out, however, came on “No Quarter.”

Working from both electric and acoustic pianos, John Paul Jones again impressed with his general versatility. Jimmy Page later joined in for what was his apogee of an evening’s worth of standout soloing. It was one of the best rock “jams” I’ve ever witnessed. About midway through, Zep revived something they haven’t done in concert since the early ’70s — an acoustic set. The show wound up with more conventional crowdpleasers such as “Kashmir” and the Zeppelin signature song, “Stairway to Heaven” (with the biggest mirrored ball in rockdom used to wind it up). John Bonham constantly kicked ass on drums, Robert Plant was 100 percent improved in voice and stage demeanor since their last time here, and a warm, lucid, in-group chemistry projected even across the Coliseum’s vast terrains.

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Scene Archives

Lollapalooza BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER Aug. 5, 1991 The headliners of the first Lollapalooza were Jane’s Addiction, the band led by festival founder Perry Farrell. But the daylong music extravaganza’s real stars were Nine Inch Nails, whose late-afternoon/early evening set encompassed everything glorious, violent, and messy about the rise of alternative rock in the ’90s. The day didn’t get off to a promising start: The Rollins Band, Butthole Surfers, and rapper Ice-T’s hardcore group Body Count played to a meager, uninterested Blossom crowd under a blistering sun. By the time Nine Inch Nails — fueled by the buzz of their 1989 debut, Pretty Hate Machine, which reached the height of its popularity during the summer of ’91 — took the stage, the sweaty and beer-soaked throng was ready to rock. They also tore out pavilion seats and chunks of the lawn, serenaded by the band’s fittingly aggressive soundtrack. It was scary, cathartic, and totally awesome.

Meat Loaf BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER Sept. 6, 1978 Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell was released on Cleveland International Records in October 1977. The florid album was nobody’s pick to be a hit

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— in fact, its rejection by a multitude of labels caused Epic Records exec Steve Popovich to return home to Cleveland and launch the label and album together. Through the dogged persistence of Popovich and his small staff — who went against the industry practice of abandoning a record if it didn’t hit in its first weeks — the album snowballed; in less than a year it had sold a million copies. Meat Loaf’s headlining show at Blossom was a sort of homecoming for a market that had been early to embrace him. WMMS DJ Kid Leo dressed in a baseball uniform to deliver the play-by-play commentary in “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” that legendary announcer Phil Rizzuto did on the record, while Meat Loaf and his female foil, Karla DeVito, enacted the panting and groping they sang about in the tale of adolescent lust. The head of CBS — Cleveland International’s distributor — flew in from New York to present Meat Loaf with a platinum album award onstage. Among the congratulatory crowd backstage was Cleveland’s polka king Frankie Yankovic, another artist championed by Popovich.

Ministry THE ODEON April 26, 2003 Cleveland has always been a hot spot

for Al Jourgensen and Ministry, one of the longtime heavyweights of industrial rock. Look no further than the list of performances in various venues in the area — the confines of the long-shuttered Lift in ’88, the Phantasy Theatre gig during the infamous tour for The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste in ’89, and the near-riot conditions during their Lollapalooza set in 1992. For the most part, Cleveland crowds registered well for Ministry even past the apex of the band’s popularity. But this performance stood out for several reasons: First, the band would be touring on the strength of the Animositisomina album, an incredibly focused effort that was the audio equivalent of polonium exposure. Second, it would turn out to be the final tour featuring Ministry in its most memorable lineup, namely with Jourgensen and creative partner Paul Barker. The set provided a thorough cross section of the band’s musical history at the time, transforming even songs from the lesser-received Filth Pig and Dark Side of the Spoon into inescapable sonic barrages. The best way to describe the moment “Stigmata” blew through the speakers? Two words: Instant bedlam.

Motörhead VARIETY THEATRE Dec. 2, 1984 For a few years in the mid-’80s, the Variety Theatre at Lorain Avenue and West 118th Street hosted a series of rock concerts that included L.A. punk band X with the Replacements opening, new-wave hitmakers Missing Persons, and metal bands like Metallica and W.A.S.P. Already falling into ruin, the place didn’t have much concern about rock fans trashing the place, although the fact that it abutted a block of small homes caused conflict about decibel levels. Those two factors converged when that wall of noise known as Motörhead rolled in on this early December evening. Taking the stage following sets by Exciter and Mercyful Fate, and immediately hitting a volume level that made standing up front painful, the British metal band quickly reached “Overkill.”

Fans who opted to listen from the lobby (where the music was still deafening) were soon confronted by others running out, screaming, “The ceiling is falling!” Sure enough, it was. Apparently, Motörhead’s assault had loosened the already crumbling plaster, causing it to rain down on the crowd. A group is now trying to raise funds to restore the 1927 theater; safe to say Motörhead won’t be invited to

10.16 10.24 FOR TICKETS AND INFO VISIT:

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the grand reopening.

Nine Inch Nails THE ODEON Dec. 28, 1994 To this day, it’s interesting to look at how unbelievably popular a decidedly difficult, at times hostile, an album like Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral became upon its release in 1994 — and how quickly Trent Reznor’s touring schedule escalated from smaller theaters to sold-out arenas within that year. With each leg of the extensive tour, the production and crowds grew larger, allowing Reznor to match visuals to the jarring live performance. But this surprise performance at the Odeon in December 1994 marked a brief return to the environment where Reznor had cut his teeth.

By the time the show had been announced on local radio, a line had already formed at the Odeon’s front door and up Old River Road. When the set started, rabid fans locked out of the show tried to break in through adjacent buildings. For the fortunate 500 who made it in, the $5 ticket remains the best investment they’ve ever made. Reznor and crew fed off the energy of the frenzied crowd, taking the punish-your-machine aesthetic to new levels over the course of a set that lasted more than two hours. Perhaps the band’s most incendiary live performance of that period, the show was unmatched in sheer ferocity.

Nirvana EMPIRE CONCERT CLUB Oct. 10, 1991 Nevermind was a little more than two weeks old when the band that would save rock and roll in the ’90s played the Empire club. It was a typically haphazard Nirvana show from the period: They screwed around a little bit (riffing on “Another One Bites the Dust”), ran through raw versions of Nevermind cuts (“Drain You,” “Lithium”) and older songs (“Aneurysm,” “About a Girl”), and tested a few new tracks (“Pennyroyal Tea,” which would show up on 1993’s In Utero). They dispensed with the hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit” relatively early in the set and with casual indifference — their standard reaction to the song as it became a generational anthem. Even then, Kurt Cobain seemed freaked-out by the sold-out crowd. He kept his distance, rushing through songs and hiding behind his guitar — until the end of the night, when he smashed it to pieces. The world would never be the same, for them or us.

David Byrne.

David Byrne JACOBS PAVILION AT NAUTICA Aug. 7, 2018 Annie-B Parson, the artistic director at Brooklyn’s Big Dance Theater, worked with former Talking Heads singer David Byrne on the choreography for the tour in support of his solo album, American Utopia.

While it was in the planning stages, Byrne told Parson that she would have a completely empty stage to work with. None of the instruments he planned to use in the concerts would have to sit on the stage. The novel concept would allow Byrne and his 12-piece backing band to dance and sing as if they were on the street or performing around a campfire.

Byrne brought the result of that collaboration with Parson to town for this terrific 100-minute show at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica. The visually striking concert combined music and performance art in an extremely unique manner.

Ozzfest BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER June 3, 1997 The first Ozzfest hit Cleveland on a wave of anticipation: In addition to sets by Pantera, Fear Factory, Type O Negative, Machine Head, and Ozzy Osbourne himself, the touring festival — fashioned as a Lollapalooza for metal fans — would feature a reunion of three-fourths of the original Black Sabbath lineup, bringing Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, and bassist Geezer Butler together for the first time since 1979.

Photo by Scott Sandberg

After Pantera’s steamroller sound brought the crowd up, Osbourne’s own set let them down again, what with its cutesy video intro in which Ozzy injected himself into a Princess Di interview, a Beatles performance, and Alanis Morissette’s then-ubiquitous “Ironic” video.

The set exposed Osbourne’s vocal weaknesses, leaning too heavily on the radio-friendly ballads that drove his solo career and exposing the creakiness of ’80s pop-metal tunes like “Crazy Train.” But Sabbath’s eight-song set reminded the audience why today’s heavy metal is still built upon their foundation. They raged through classics like “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” “Sweetleaf,” and “Paranoid,” fleshing out the recorded versions into epic blasts that flowed on the back of Iommi’s solos. Even Ozzy’s limited voice was not a problem with material that better suited his range and a band that carried much of the weight.

Panic! At the Disco GROG SHOP March 19, 2018 Midway through this surprise show at the Grog Shop, singer Brendon Urie paused between songs to slap high fives with the fans pressed up against the front of the stage. “Fuck, I miss this,” he said. “This is crazy.”

Fans lined up along Euclid Heights Blvd. the day before to try to get tickets. The club reportedly turned away hundreds of people after quickly reaching capacity once doors opened at 7:30 p.m. Panic!’s frenetic 65-minute set certainly didn’t

disappoint the lucky 300 to 400 fans who managed to see the show. The group opened the 18-song concert with a rousing rendition of “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time.” Urie arrived on stage wearing a gold lamé jacket, his hair perfectly coiffed.

But as he and the band launched into the tune, his hair quickly became disheveled, and he began to sweat profusely. Apologizing because the band hadn’t played a show in nine months, he asked fans to sing the lyrics with him to help him remember the words. The audience often served as a choir as fans sang in unison with Urie. He would sometimes just pause midsong to listen to the audience sing.

In the intimate setting, Urie’s vocals sounded particularly sharp. Near the concert’s conclusion, Urie growled and screamed his way through “Positive Hardcore,” a throwaway track, but the song suggested the punk rock approach the band took the gig and didn’t detract from the unique show’s appeal. Plus, the group got back on track with the final number, the emo-pop anthem “Victorious.”

Pavement EUCLID TAVERN June 15, 1992 Pavement’s debut album, Slanted and Enchanted, was released two months before their first Cleveland show and had yet to become a watershed of ’90s indie rock. The Euclid Tavern, which could hold about 300 people, wasn’t even half full. But it seemed like everyone there knew every song;

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Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders.

the band’s brief but taut set was made up of Slanted tracks, as well as cuts from the various EPs they had recorded since 1989. Contributing to the intimacy was the band’s wildman drummer Gary Young, who was 39 at the time — at least a dozen years older than his bandmates, and looked like a serial killer on furlough. He walked into the club with a big-ass watermelon he had picked up at a farmers’ market down the street. After borrowing a knife from someone in the audience, Young cut up the melon and handed out chunks to fans. It was kinda like a picnic — a picnic for cool Clevelanders way ahead of the curve.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers QUICKEN LOANS ARENA June 10, 2017 The evening’s 19-song setlist leaned heavily on two specific fan favorite albums, pulling four tracks from Tom Petty’s initial solo excursion, 1989’s Full Moon Fever and five more from its eventual follow-up, 1994’s Wildflowers. Playing what Petty referred to as a “small set of songs” from Wildflowers, Petty and the Heartbreakers peeled off three tracks in a row from that record, which often had a beautifully stripped back feel. The title track, which has made a long overdue return to the setlist with this current tour, proved to be one of several nuggets of the night. Petty strummed the opening chords on acoustic, with airy harmonies from the Webb Sisters (“our newest friends,” as he referenced Hattie and Charley Webb, who provided background vocals for the shows). This would mark Petty’s last performance in Cleveland. He

Photo by Anastasia Pantsios/Scene

would die just a few months after this concert.

Pixies ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM AND SCENE PAVILION June 8, 2005 The Pixies kicked off the first-ever CMJ/Rock Hall Music Fest (a shortlived music festival that lasted a total of two years) with two shows in one night — one of which was at the Rock Hall. Their first set saw them playing to an intimate crowd in the Rock Hall atrium, fitting climes for a band that may find itself inducted someday. They cheerfully worked their way through a set of classics like “In Heaven,” “Debaser,” “Caribou,” “Gouge Away,” “Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf),” “Where Is My Mind?”

“Bone Machine,” and “Monkey Gone to Heaven.” Their second set found them at nearby Scene Pavilion, essentially playing the same set list, this time with Trompe Le Monde material like “U-Mass,” “Alec Eiffel,” and “Subbacultcha” added to the mix.

Like the majority of the shows on the band’s reunion lap around the U.S., both were recorded and pressed to CD in limited quantities. So there’s no reason to let this legendary evening fade into Cleveland rock lore.

clevescene.com

The Pretenders AGORA THEATRE March 17, 1980 When Chrissie Hynde left Akron for London in the mid-’70s, her musical gifts were unknown, since she had never actually performed.

After dabbling in journalism and flitting around the edges of the U.K.’s burgeoning punk scene, she formed the Pretenders in 1978. They October 20-November 2, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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found rapid success when their third single, “Brass in Pocket” hit No. 1 in England in the fall of 1979, displaying Hynde’s cool, confidentyet-vulnerable soul-tinged slink. Two months after the group’s self-titled album was released in January 1980, Hynde returned home in triumph to headline a sold-out show at the 1,000 capacity Agora on a Monday night. She stopped by WMMS that afternoon for an interview in which she showed a wariness and distance.

But her reserve melted that night as she and the other three Pretenders ripped through most of their debut album including “Kid,” “Tattooed Love Boys,” and “Precious,” with its Cleveland references. Her legendary snappishness returned after the show when a crush of relatives and old friends crowded into the tiny backstage area to congratulate her and take photos, demonstrating her ambivalence about her newfound success.

Prince GUND ARENA April 17, 2004 Playing his “hits” for what he said would be the last time, Prince worked every inch of the in-theround stage during this remarkable show, which confirmed that the then-45-year-old artist hadn’t lost a step. That he was able to dance and play the heck out of the guitar while wearing white silver-heeled stiletto boots was all the more remarkable.

Backed by the bombastic New Power Generation, Prince played several tunes from that his newest release, Musicology. But it was his material from the 1990s — “Let’s Go Crazy,” “I Would Die 4 U,” “When Doves Cry” — that really resonated. He even revisited “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a tune that Sinead O’Connor turned into a chart-topping hit, and ended with an extended “Purple Rain” jam that received an exclamation point of sorts as confetti fell from the rafters during its final notes.

Radiohead BLOSSOM Aug. 21, 2003 Those expecting to hear a rundown of greatest hits on this intolerably humid night were clearly unaware of Radiohead’s penchant for playing new material in concert. “Sit Down, Stand Up” would be the first of 11 songs from Hail to the Thief to appear throughout the evening.

The crowd was extremely receptive to the new songs and more than prepared to sing every word. Singer Thom Yorke’s spastic dancing and

makeover) was a mess, but it was one of those concerts the ‘Mats built their myth on. The four members hung out before the show in an empty bar across the street, drinking with a few fans. By the time they got onstage, they could barely hold their instruments (frontman Paul Westerberg apologized, suggesting that everyone deserved a refund). The songs they managed to complete — and there weren’t many — were barely discernible through all the missed notes. And the new songs they played (“Can’t Hardly Wait,” “Kiss Me on the Bus,” “Bastards of Young”) were far from the powerhouse polished versions that ended up on Tim. But what a glorious mess of a night.

Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend.

vamping during “Myxomatosis” was a clear sign he’s confident fronting one of the biggest bands on the planet. He spent much of the song prowling the apex of the stage, wearing the look of a Cheshire cat who’d just devoured a bird. OK Computer selections “Paranoid Android,” “Lucky,” and “Exit Music (For a Film)” received tremendous responses and “The Bends” made a rare live appearance, but the biggest ovation came during “No Surprises.”

As Yorke sang, “Bring down the government/They don’t, they don’t speak for us,” the crowd erupted in a delirious fit of confirmation.

Yorke’s devilish grin accentuated their meaning at a time when George W. Bush ruled the nation.

The Raspberries HOUSE OF BLUES Nov. 26, 2004 The first live appearance of all four original Raspberries in more than three decades was one of the biggest local music events of the year, with an estimated half of the tickets plucked by out-of-towners from as far away as Japan. The crowd burst into Beatlemania screams — and that was even during the pre-show video montage depicting vintage TV and Super-8 film footage. The band opened with the masterpiece “I Wanna Be With You,” which, along with Eric Carmen compositions like “Go All the Way” and “Tonight,” typified what made the Raspberries so legendary. Augmenting Carmen’s pop genius, the set also showcased the fine songwriting contributions of other Raspberries Dave Smalley and Wally Bryson. Surprises included two songs by pre-Raspberries band the Choir and covers of Who and Beatles tunes. The evening could

Photo by Samantha Fryberger

have been potentially soured by Carmen’s ego — notorious for 30 years running. But he actually seemed somehow humbled by the occasion, and his stage presence was rather endearing.

R.E.M. VARIETY THEATRE July 10, 1984 When R.E.M. played the Variety Theatre in 1984, they were already on their way to becoming college music kings. Their second album, Reckoning, was released three months earlier, and their 1983 debut, Murmur, had recently topped year-end best-of lists. This concert included punked-up versions of songs from the two albums (“Radio Free Europe,” “Little America”), as well as a few from the 1982 Chronic Town EP (“Gardening at Night”) and a couple of new tunes (“Driver 8,” which wouldn’t show up on a record until the following year).

R.E.M. played a fast, furious show in front of a packed, devoted audience, who hung on Michael Stipe’s every mumbled word.

The Replacements PEABODY’S Aug. 20, 1985 The Replacements were still a couple of months away from releasing their major-label debut, Tim, when their record company sent them on the road to test their new songs and sustain the buzz they developed with the previous year’s Let It Be. Bad move. The Replacements played two kinds of shows in the mid-’80s: drunkenly brilliant and drunkenly crappy. This show in front of a sparsely populated Peabody’s in the Flats (before the area received a

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductions PUBLIC HALL April 4, 2009 Held in Cleveland for the first time in more than a decade and open to the public for the first time ever, the 2009 Rock Hall inductions were one of the best ever. Some highlights: Jimmy Page inducted Jeff Beck, whom he said had been his friend since they were both in their early teens. Page even joined Beck for an instrumental rendition of Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song.” After a passionate speech

by Red Hot Chili Pepper bassist Flea, who dropped the f-bomb more than once in articulating just how much “Metallica rules,” Metallica clambered onstage to deliver a two-song set featuring “Master of Puppets” and “Enter Sandman.” The all-star finale found Wanda Jackson, Roseanne Cash, Little Anthony, and Rev. Run all singing “Jailhouse Rock” together as Ron Wood and Jeff Beck dueled on guitar and D.J. Fontana held down the backbeat.

Aerosmith’s Joe Perry joined in on guitar as an all-star ensemble led by Metallica ripped through the closing number, “Train Kept A-Rollin’.”

The Rolling Stones, Etta James RICHFIELD COLISEUM Nov. 16, 1981 The first of two consecutive performances by “the greatest rock n roll band in the world” went surprisingly routinely and without a snag. Like a well-oiled machine, the Rolling Stones churned through their two-and-a-half hour, 26-song set with all the precision of a Swiss watch. In fact, their performance that night was almost too precise in its execution. Maybe this is

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nitpicking, but when one is talking about “the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world,” one expects that something extra. Etta James, one of Jagger and Richards’ musical inspirations, came on around 8:30 p.m. to mixed boos and cries of “We want the Stones!” Her 30minute performance consisted of bluesy covers of such standards as “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” “Something’s Got a Hold on Me” and “Take It to the Limit.” At approximately 10:05 p.m., the house light dimmed, and the opening beat to “Under My Thumb” was met with a standing ovation as one-by-one the Stones came onto the kidney-shaped white stage. The rock ‘n’ roll party had begun. Mick Jagger, dressed in white football pants, white stockings, white slipperd and a blue nylon jacket looked and acted like a cocky 15-year-old as he danced, strutted and karate-kicked his way through the show. Only stopping to sing into the microphone while he strummed an electric or acoustic guitar, Jagger was a human dynamo making full use of the increased stage area. The string of Stones classics included a ferocious version of “When the Whip Comes Down,” “Neighbors,” Eddie Cochran’s “Twenty Flight Rock” and Smokey Robinson’s “Going to a Go Go.” The obligatory encore was a frenzied version of “Satisfaction” with Jagger donning a cape that was half British and half American flags and with a wave of his hand and a “See ya tomorrow night,” he and the Stones were gone.

Rush QUICKEN LOANS ARENA April 15, 2011 This sold-out show coaxed out the loudest inner 16-year-old airdrummers and -guitarists Cleveland has ever seen. With a jam-packed time-warp set list and stunning visual display, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart really rocked the house. Energy and volume was equaled on both sides, blow by glorious blow, as filmmakers Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen captured the crowning glory of the band and C-town’s amped fans for what would become a live DVD release.

Adrenaline-fueled renditions of “Freewill,” “La Villa Strangiato,” and “YYZ” were just perfect, with Lee and Lifeson’s virtuoso playing taking center stage. And newer tracks “Faithless,” “BU2B,” and “Caravan” — replete with ironic “led zeppelins” flying over a building that looked suspiciously like a bombedout Terminal Tower — showed the trio’s future won’t be spent seated

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a little help from MTV, had broken big over the past year, and The Unforgettable Fire seemed destined to make them global superstars. They ran through a typical set from the era — a mix of songs from their first four albums — but they had their eyes on something grander even then (“This stage just isn’t big enough for this band,” Bono told the audience at the outset). There were messianic poses, onstage hugs for anyone who wanted one, and fanmade flags draped over microphone stands. And there was “Pride (In the Name of Love),” a crowd singalong for everyone who knew they were seeing something special.

on creative laurels.

Moving Pictures in its entirety was expectedly stunning, including the “The Camera Eye” suite.

Does any fan (or critic) really need to address Peart’s drumming or his solos? Pushing 60, the man is still the most proficient and possessed percussionist in the rock business. Visually and musically arresting, live shows don’t get better than this.

Bruce Springsteen AGORA THEATRE Aug. 9, 1978

Thanks to a relentless push from WMMS, by the summer of 1978 Bruce Springsteen had been a superstar in Cleveland for almost four Vampire years — well before his Weekend, breakout album Born Chicano Batman to Run. By the time of JACOBS PAVILION AT Bruce Springsteen.

1978 Scene cover 1978’s Darkness on the NAUTICA Edge of Town, he had June 14, 2019 grown to arena stature.

Vampire Weekend’s stop at Jacob’s But he demonstrated his appreciation some precedent: Frampton Comes Alive was the biggest album that Pavilion at Nautica couldn’t have for Cleveland by returning to the year, breaking the journeyman landed on a better night, as a 1,000-capacity Agora — the scene guitarist to superstar level, so mostly millennial crowd of fans of two of his earliest Cleveland labels and bands were jumping on caught a sold-out show of tunes as shows — to play a tenth-anniversary the live-album bandwagon. The breezy and fun as the Lake Erie concert for WMMS. The show was four drastically oversold Agora waves that backdropped the venue. broadcast live on WMMS and a shows were an early hint of how Compared to the band’s last stop handful of stations in other cities, explosive MSB would become by in Cleveland, a greater ensemble including Cincinnati and Detroit. the end of the decade. The band of supporting musicians flanked The show featured nearly two dozen still featured its early lineup, with frontman Ezra Koenig on this tour, tunes, mostly the roaring anthems Stanley and singer-songwriterwhich supported the band’s latest (“Badlands,” “Thunder Road”) guitarist Jonah Koslen offering album, Father of the Bride. Joining and morose reflections (“Factory,” vocal and songwriting contrast. The founding members Chris Baio, Chris “Racing in the Street”) of urban/ show reprised favorites from their Thompson and Koenig, guitarist suburban working-class street life two albums, plus rocked-up takes Brian Robert Jones and guitarist/ that packed Darkness and Born to Run. Bruce and the E Street Band of “Rosewood Bitters” and “Let’s keyboardist Greta Morgan — along also ripped through a cover of Eddie Get the Show on the Road,” two with an additional percussion player Cochran’s “Summertime Blues” and anthems from Stanley’s solo albums, stationed behind a second drum set their own version of Springsteen’s which were already crowd favorites.

— helped fill out the band’s sound co-write with Patti Smith, “Because Then there was the epic “Midwest and allow for a more diverse range the Night,” clearly feeding off the Midnight,” a new song the band of instrumental interplay. Chicano energy provided by the revved-up added to its repertoire on Stage Pass. Batman opened the night with The album was no Frampton Comes crowd pressed against the shallow soulful jams.

Alive, but it provided a document of stage mere inches from them. the excitement MSB could create live Vote for Change and spring-boarded them to local Michael Stanley Band Concert stardom.

AGORA THEATRE

GUND ARENA

Oct. 22-24, 1976 Michael Stanley debuted his eponymous band in the fall of 1974, and they quickly found favor in Cleveland. After releasing two studio albums, MSB taped a live set at the Agora, then the city’s premier concert club, for their third release, Stage Pass. There was

| clevescene.com | October 20-November 2, 2021

U2 MUSIC HALL Dec. 9, 1984 The Unforgettable Fire was a little more than two months old when U2 played this transcendent show, which sold out in less than 15 minutes. The band, with more than

Oct. 2, 2004 Politics can make for strange bedfellows, and for this “Vote for Change” show, R.E.M. and Bruce Springsteen’s musical differences were outweighed by what they had in common — a desire for a change in the Oval Office. “We’re R.E.M., and we approve of this concert,” singer

Michael Stipe said before the band launched into a vigorous rendition of “Life and How to Life to It” that he said had “zero political message.”

A cameo by the Boss, who joined the band for “Bad Day” and “Man on the Moon,” brought the band’s set to a convincing close. Springsteen opened with “The Star-Spangled Banner” on a 12-string guitar and then segued into “Born in the U.S.A.” Even a somber reading of “The River” seemed appropriate, given the line “lately there ain’t been much work on account of the economy.” A blistering “Youngstown” was followed by a guest appearance by John Fogerty, who played three songs, “Fortunate Son” among them. Stipe returned to sing lead on “Because the Night,” the one Springsteen song he’s best suited to sing, and he nailed it. All the opening acts, including Bright Eyes, joined in for the terrific conclusion that featured Nick Lowe’s “What’s So Funny (‘Bout Peace, Love and Understanding)” and Patti Smith’s “The People Have the Power.”

Tom Waits HOUSE OF BLUES Aug. 13, 2006 The doors were scheduled to open at 11 p.m. for the midnight show, but the concert didn’t start until 1:20 a.m. The reason? Anti-scalping measures taken by the club at Tom Waits’ insistence required each ticket buyer to present an ID and the credit card he or she used to purchase the tickets, creating a logjam at the box office but effectively warding off scalpers. Playing around here for the first time in 20 years, Waits sold out every show on his small eightcity tour, including a gig that took place earlier in the evening at the Akron Civic Theatre — a show that also started late. Midway through a two-hour, 20-song set (yes, the show concluded after 3 a.m.), Waits himself checked his watch and mumbled something about it being well past everyone’s bedtime. Film director Jim Jarmusch (Broken Flowers, Coffee & Cigarettes) enjoyed the show from a suite at the House of Blues.

Warped Tour TOWER CITY AMPHITHEATER Aug. 2, 2007 While it was never officially declared a tornado, some strange rainstorm/ waterspout ripped through the festival midday, destroying side stages and shutting down the main stage. Indie-pop act Meg and Dia were in the middle of their set when the stage started to collapse, and they took cover in a nearby semi

truck that itself didn’t seem stable as it shook continuously during the downpour. Festival founder Kevin Lyman announced to the crowd that in ten years of putting on Warped Tours, he’d never seen anything like it. Even more amazing was that the show went on after crews cleaned the water off the main stage. Paramore rescheduled its set for later in the day, while New Found Glory trudged through its performance even as band members received numerous electrical shocks while they were playing.

The White Stripes ODEON March 29, 2002 The White Stripes had played Cleveland regularly prior to this sold-out show at the Odeon. They started out at tiny Pat’s in the Flats, then graduated to the Beachland, first playing the small tavern and then moving into the larger ballroom. But this show, with its crowd of hipsters and drunken frat boys, marked their real breakthrough. The band commenced with the grunge-y “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground,” then ripped through another 20 songs, including a poignant cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and a tongue-in-cheek rendition of Burt Bacharach’s “I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself.” The band would return for bigger shows at Playhouse Square and the Agora, but this was its best performance, and the one that signaled crossover success was on the way.

The Who, James Taylor, The James Gang PUBLIC HALL June 27, 1970 In the summer of 1970, the real concert action was at the Convention Center’s Public Hall. No 20,000 arena existed yet, and this 10,000 seat auditorium was where acts like Led Zeppelin and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young made the rounds. It was the scene of the Who’s triumphant return to Cleveland, following their breakout Tommy show at the smaller Music Hall the previous year. The group shattered eardrums with its deafening volume (always a problem in this long, narrow facility), as they bashed out a good hunk of Tommy, bookended with the more straightforward rock tunes from the rest of their repertoire, displaying their wild, irresistible magic in both. For good measure, guitarist Pete Townshend bashed and broke one of a stack of Gibson SGs he had

piled in the wings. Opening act the James Gang were just heading into their prime: The classic trio of guitarist Joe Walsh, drummer Jim Fox, and guitarist Dale Peters would release their breakout album, The James Gang Rides Again, in a few months, and they dazzled the crowd with a set that injected subtlety and dynamics into powerful, heavy music. Sandwiched between the Who and the James Gang was folksinger James Taylor, whose own recent breakthrough album, Sweet Baby James, didn’t save him from being ignored or talked over by the crowd at one of the most legendarily mismatched bills in Cleveland history.

World Series of Rock RICHFIELD COLISEUM June 23, 1974 The Beach Boys — how can anyone hate ’em? In talent, consistency and popularity, they were America’s answer to the Beatles, and unlike the Fab Four, they’re still around to be appreciated today. They took a cold and music-weary crowd at the Stadium and brought them back to life in a way damn few other groups could match. The two Wilsons, Al Jardine and Mike Love were backed by six other musicians, with Joe Walsh also appearing now and then.

The response to material from more recent albums like Holland was lukewarm, which must have been a bringdown for the group, but there’s no doubt that everyone got off on their oldies. Most of the biggies were played: “Help Me Rhonda,” “Sloop John B,” “Good Vibrations,” which started snake dancing in front of the Indians’ dugout, and a four-song encore ending with “Fun Fun Fun.” Many in the audience were toddlers when these songs first came out, but the band’s dance music of the ’60s became the boogie music of the ’70s and lost nothing in the process. The Beach Boys are as all-American as McDonald’s and Chevrolet, and their timeless music will always be appreciated, and more importantly, danced to. As strong as the Beach Boys set was, however, it barely edged out the show put on by Joe Walsh and Barnstorm. Cleveland’s most talented native son in rock returned with a vengeance. His tight, talented backing group is possibly the best line-up Walsh has played in since the James Gang. His material didn’t contain many surprises, mainly things from The Smoker You Drink and some old James Gang things like “The Bomber” and “Tend My Garden.” The surprise was that

nearly every number improved on the original, stronger, moredriving versions, allowing more of their quality to shine through.

The highly appreciative crowd got two encores, the second one perfect for the occasion- “Get Back.” After the performances of these two groups, REO Skynyrd and Lynyrd Speedwagon tended to merge into one bland, boogieing mass. Both bands travel the same well-worn path of good time rock ’n’ blues, which still has its audience, no doubt. They’re doing the same thing today bands like Cactus and Catfish were doing a few years ago, and a few years from now we’ll have new bands doing the same thing.

Disposable rock for a disposable society. Thank God there was proof at the show that some of it does last.

X MUSIC BOX SUPPER CLUB Sept. 10, 11, 12, 2014 “Cleveland actually does rock,” said shaggy-haired X singer Exene Cervenka last night as the veteran punk band started a three-night stand at Music Box Supper Club by playing its first two albums (and then some) in their entirety before a crowd that filled about threefourths of the club. She clearly reveled in the warm reception she and her bandmates received from the crowd that came to hear the band play its first two albums, 1980’s Los Angeles and 1981’s Wild Gift, in their entirety. The band didn’t disappoint either. Singer-bassist John Doe proved he could still sneer and sound like he means it on the hard-driving “Johnny Hit and Run Paulene,” and guitarist Billy Zoom let loose some tasty solos in songs such as “Sugarlight” and “Los Angeles.” Drummer DJ Bonebrake proved to be no slouch. He kept time with accuracy and hit just as hard as he ever has. The band’s version of the Doors tune “Soul Kitchen” was punked up beyond all recognition and sounded sharp. The group closed the opening set that was devoted to Los Angeles with a bit of jam as it delivered a freewheeling rendition of “The World’s a Mess; It’s in My Kiss,” a song that started off with a menacing whisper from Cervenka. By the end of the 90-minute concert, you got the sense that the band was just getting accustomed to the room and was properly warmed up for the next two night’s shows, which were just as thrilling and featured performances of 1982’s Under the Big Black Sun and 1983’s More Fun in the New World.

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GET OUT

Everything to do in Cleveland for the next two weeks

WED 10/20 Off Shore Pour This special Cleveland Beer Week event takes place aboard the Nautica Queen, which’ll set sail at 6 p.m. today. Participating breweries and reps will be on hand for the cruise on Lake Erie. There will be music, dancing, merch and a raffle. Advance tickets are required. Proceeds benefit the Malone Scholarship Program. clevelandbeerweek.org.

THU 10/21 Battle of the Land Since its founding in 2011, Bedrock and its affiliates have invested and committed more than $5.6 billion to acquire and develop more than 100 properties in Detroit and Cleveland, including developments at the Hudson’s Site, the Book Tower restoration, City Modern and the May Company Building. Now, the company is getting into the battle of the bands business with Battle of the Land, a live musical talent competition series that kicks off next month. Artists compete in a series of head-to-head musical battles at Tower City Center; a final round takes place on Oct. 27. The winner will open for local heroes Bone Thugs-N-Harmony on Oct. 28.

Tonight’s round starts at 6 p.m.

50 Public Square, 216-771-0033, battleoftheland.com.

FRI

10/22

Cavaliers vs. Charlotte Hornets The new and improved Cavs open the 2021 play their first regular season home game tonight at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse as they take on the Charlotte Hornets. The Cavs fell far short of the playoffs last year, but with some new talent (Ricky Rubio, Evan Mobley, Lauri Markkanen), they should be much improved. Tipoff is at 7 p.m., and the Cavs then play the Hawks tomorrow at 6 p.m. Check the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for ticket prices.

1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.

SAT

10/23

Heather McMahan Standup comedian, Instagram

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Tales from the Hood shows at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. See: Thu, Oct. 28.

storyteller and “the best friend everyone wants,” Heather McMahan comes to the Agora tonight in the wake of the recent release of her podcast, Absolutely Not with Heather McMahan, which charted in the Top Ten on iTunes on the day of the release. She will star in the upcoming Netflix film Love Hard and is in development with Peacock on a show based on her life.

Tonight’s show begins at 8. Check the Agora website for ticket prices.

5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.

SUN 10/24 Celebration Day Mourning [A] BLKstar, winners of the 2021 Cleveland Arts Prize: Emerging Artist Award, headline Celebration Day, a festival of sorts that take place all day today at the Rock Hall. Designed to build anticipation for the upcoming Inductions, the event will conclude with “a jaw-dropping” fireworks

| clevescene.com | October 20-November 2, 2021

show set to songs from the 2021 Inductees. Everything outside the Rock Hall is free for everyone. Ohio Residents are also able to come inside to tour the brand new 2021 Inductee Exhibit for free as well.

1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-5158444, rockhall.com.

MON 10/25 Peter Asher A producer for Apple Records, singer-songwriter Peter Asher, one half of the British Invasion group Peter & Gordon, has worked with artists ranging from James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt to Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers.

Tonight, he comes to the Grog Shop, where he’ll perform and share stories from his recent book, Beatles From A to Zed. The show starts at 7, and tickets cost $40. He’ll appear again at 7 tomorrow night at the venue too.

2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5588, grogshop.gs.

Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque

TUE

10/26

Open Turntable Tuesday Tonight from 6 to 9, the Winchester hosts its weekly Open Turntable Tuesday. Jason Gokorsch will book guest DJs and offer slots to people who want to bring their own vinyl and spin their favorite songs or deep tracks. First time DJs are encouraged, and equipment is provided. Patrons can also bring records for the night’s DJ to add to their set. Sign up on Northeast Ohio Vinyl Club’s Facebook page.

12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-600-5338, facebook.com/ TheWinchesterMusicTavern.

WED 10/27 Pumpkins & Piranhas Pumpkins & Piranhas returns to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium today through Sunday. The family friendly fun days are included with general admission and feature extended

GET OUT hours, underwater pumpkin decorations, costumed SCUBA divers, a small, take-home treat bag for children, pop-up animal enrichment and I Spy/trivia activities focused on some of the curious creatures residing at the aquarium. The aquarium asks that guests purchase advance general admission tickets to ensure entry. Check the website for hours and more info.

2000 Sycamore Street, 216-862-8803, greaterclevelandaquarium.com.

THU 10/28 The Haunted Cinematheque The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque will screen five classic horror films from three different countries and four different decades over the course of this Halloween weekend. The schedule includes Raw, Tales from the Hood, The Seventh Victim, Dead of Night and Possession. All of the films will show in the Peter B. Lewis Theater. Face masks (not Halloween masks) are required for all attendees. Check the Cinematheque website for ticket prices and a complete schedule.

11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.

FRI

10/29

Affion Crockett An actor, writer, dancer and comic, Affion Crockett has had roles in everything from Superstore to Undercover Brother 2 and Always a Bridesmaid. He comes to the Improv tonight for performances that take place at 7:30 and 10. He’s at the club tomorrow night too, performing at 6:30 and 9. Check the Improv website for ticket prices.

1148 Main Ave., 216-696-IMPROV, clevelandimprov.com.

SAT

10/30

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony This year’s highly diverse class getting inducted into the Rock Hall includes Tina Turner, Carole King, the Go-Go’s, JAY-Z, Foo Fighters and Todd Rundgren along with Kraftwerk, Charley Patton and Gil Scott-Heron as Early Influence inductees. LL Cool J, Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads will be inducted as Musical Excellence inductees.

Clarence Avant will receive the

Ahmet Ertegun Award. The ceremony comes to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for the first time-ever.

It all begins at 8 p.m.; consult the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse website for ticket prices.

1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.

SUN 10/31 Jokes on You Inspired by crowd work clinicians like Dave Attell, Ian Bagg, and Big Jay Oakerson, Jokes On You makes the audience the center of the show by “pushing comics to avoid prepared material or written jokes and instead focus on organic interaction with the audience,” as it’s put in a press release about this event, which takes place tonight at 7 at Hilarities. John Bruton and Bill Squire host the event.

2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.

MON 11/01 Movie Mondays Every Monday, Cleveland Cinemas hosts $5 Movie Mondays, where film fans can catch up on the latest Hollywood flicks for significantly reduced prices. Bring your friends and family and make Movie Mondays a weekly tradition — many theaters even offer discounted concession stand items. Participating theaters include Apollo Theatre, Cedar Lee Theatre and Chagrin Cinemas.

Additional charges apply for 3-D movies. clevelandcinemas.com.

TUE

11/02

Mystery Science Theater 3000 LIVE: Time Bubble Tour Following the Watch Out for Snakes!

Tour in 2017, the 30th Anniversary Tour in 2018 and the Great Cheesy Movie Circus Tour in 2019, Mystery Science Theater 3000 LIVE has taken a brand-new production on the road. Host Emily Connor (Emily Marsh) and movie riffing robots Tom Servo (Conor McGiffin), Crow (Nate Begle), and GPC (Yvonne Freese) will be on hand to mock the film Making Contact. The event begins at 8 tonight at the Mimi Ohio Theatre.

Consult the Playhouse Square website for more info.

1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene October 20-November 2, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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| clevescene.com | October 20-November 2, 2021

EAT SAMMIE TOWN

Heart of Gold delivers a tasty menu, and a service experience, very much of these times

I’ll never forget the time I spent $18 on a cocktail that arrived in a plastic cup. The drink was the Cosmic Trigger at Heart of Gold, an ice-filled concoction of gin, tea, amaro, honey and lemon. It was a pleasantly balanced, sweet-savory drink that would have tasted infinitely better in a proper Collins glass. If you don’t believe that appropriate drinkware enhances the cocktail experience, then you don’t take your spirits seriously.

At the peak of the pandemic, restaurants that were fortunate enough to survive by pivoting to take-out had no choice but to rely on single-use plastic containers, utensils and bags. As dine-in service returned, those same eateries continued to use disposables because they were believed by many to be the safe, sanitary option. But now that most staff and diners are vaccinated, and the experts assign the blame to airborne spread as opposed to surface transmission, what’s the motivation – apart from pleasing Big Plastic – to continue the practice?

The environmentally depressing glut of disposables – glasses, utensils, plates, napkins – is all the more incongruous given the surroundings. The Plum, the restaurant from which Heart of Gold hatched, was one of Cleveland’s most attractive dining spaces. The sleek, minimal bistro was painstakingly sculpted out of a 150-year-old building in Ohio City over the span of three years. Heck, the intricately snaked electrical conduit here is worth visiting alone.

But if the Plum has taught diners anything over the past five years, it is that restaurants either adapt or die. The seasonal, chef-driven menu, piloted by chef-owner Brett Sawyer, was always a moving target fueled by ambition, creativity and whimsy.

But the pandemic put an end to all that and owner Jonah Oryszak announced that after being closed most of 2020, the Plum would not reopen. Instead, the space would become Heart of Gold, an even more casual neighborhood bar and kitchen.

By now, diners are increasingly familiar with the quick-serve

Photo by Douglas Trattner

By Douglas Trattner

dining model that sprang to life as a way of reducing labor costs. At H.O.G., diners walk in, place their order at the host stand and grab a seat. Drinks are ordered at the bar regardless your location inside or out. Want a glass of water? Pour it yourself from the Igloo cooler in the stunning but largely empty dining room. Care for another round of beverages? Get up and make your

no self-respecting 21st-century fastcasual restaurant would be caught dead without a chicken sandwich, Bauer offers the “Obligatory Fried Chicken” sandwich ($12) in regular and spicy preparations. No surprise, she’s a beaut. The craggy crusted, juicy-centered bird is paired with napa slaw, spicy pickles and seasoned mayo.

We ordered four sandwiches

HEART OF GOLD 4133 LORAIN AVE., CLEVELAND 216-938-8711 HEARTOFGOLDCLE.COM

way back to the bar. At meal’s end, a friend at the table wondered aloud without a hint of sarcasm, “Are we supposed to clean up after ourselves as well?”

In Cleveland, Peak Fried Chicken Sandwich has given way to Peak Smash Burger, and Heart of Gold’s version ($14) is on point.

Chef Adam Bauer doesn’t pile on the embellishments, allowing the beefy goodness of the twin patties to shine. The meat shares space inside the downy-soft milk bun with American cheese, sweet onions, dill pickles and Maggi-seasoned mayo.

It is aggressively delicious. Because

in all, with the intent of slicing, passing and sharing the spoils.

That was easier said than done when one is dealing with flimsy utensils and paper boats. But pass and taste we did, with the Old Major ($14) edging out the MushroomMeatloaf Melt ($14) for honors in the third and fourth positions. Billed as a “vegetarian Big Mac,” the Old Major was ridiculously savory, satisfying and impressive given that it is completely vegan (save for the cheese).

Bauer picked up his wing skills while working at Greenhouse Tavern, and you can taste the talent

in the form of the chicken drums ($10). Like his former employer’s renowned wings, the chef’s drums are cured, slow-cooked in fat and deep fried to order, leaving them uber-crisp but also meltingly tender.

Next time I’ll skip the slightly metallic tasting lemon-pepper dry rub in favor of the house hot or sesame garlic. Pair any and every sandwich with an order of waffle fries ($4).

A handful of salads and grain bowls rounds out the menu, with the Caesar ($10) largely faithful to the classic except for the righteous fried capers. H.O.G. keeps the menu pretty tight so the kitchen can stay seasonal and have some fun. Recent specials have included a popcorn chicken bowl with Ohio corn and pepper gravy, a brisket-stuffed footlong topped with pierogies and slaw, and a vegan crunch wrap with mushroom duxelles and salsa verde.

Specials like those, along with recurring deals like “nuggie night,” give food lovers plenty of cause to keep their eyes glued to the restaurant’s social media pages.

dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner

October 20-November 2, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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| clevescene.com | October 20-November 2, 2021

Photo by Edsel Little

EAT BITES

Cleveland mourns the loss of Walter Hyde, a chef of boundless talent, generosity and kindness

By Douglas Trattner OVER THE WEEKEND, THE Cleveland culinary community lost one of its most beloved members.

Walter Hyde, a chef with boundless talent, enthusiasm and kindness, passed away just hours after cooking for friends and guests at an event at Terrestrial Brewery.

His death rippled throughout the region in the days since, with many sharing stories of his immeasurable generosity, which touched so many people over the years.

Hyde, who could be mistaken for a Hells Angels member, was a Swiss army knife inside the kitchen and out. Over the years, his skills were on display at various restaurants, including Swingo’s, Giovanni’s and Fahrenheit Charlotte. In 2010, he and partner Scott Slagle opened Fat Casual BBQ in Macedonia, which drew rave reviews by barbecue lovers for its authentic smoked meats. There, the sauce came on the side because, as Hyde told me, “We don’t want to hide the flavor of the meat. Sauce, like smoke, is just an ingredient.

The meat always has to come first.”

Hyde and Slagle went on to open Tavern of Solon, Hyde cooked amazing burgers at the Annex Bar in Solon and he took over the 40-year-old Daisy’s Ice Cream in Slavic Village, thus saving it from the wrecking ball. Along the way he contributed his time, skill and joyful spirit to countless events and fundraisers like Dinner in the Dark.

To say that Hyde will be missed is an understatement; his kindness touched so many people in so many ways.

Drink a Pickleback in his honor and donate to the GoFundMe page that has been established to help his family deal with the expenses associated with his passing.

Bier Markt and Bar Cento in Ohio City to Close in Early 2022, Will Be Replaced with New Concepts Down the Road Before there was Market Garden Brewpub, Nano Brew, Speakeasy, Bar Cento and the large production brewery behind the West Side Market there was Bier Markt. Partners Mark Priemer and Sam McNulty opened the Belgian beer bar in 2005, which began the transformation of Ohio City into Cleveland’s hottest beer, food and fun district.

Bar Cento followed in 2007. The dimly lit wine bar next door was helmed by chef Jonathon Sawyer, who was fresh off a stint as chef at Michael Symon’s Parea restaurant in New York City. From the start, people flocked to the super-hip bistro for crispy pommes frites, thin and crisp Sunnyside pies and 100 (cento) or so available wines.

After Sawyer moved on to open Greenhouse Tavern, the kitchen has been helmed by some of Cleveland’s best cooks, including Mike Nowak, Adam Lambert, Andrew Bower, Maggie Schwenk, Kyle Fioretti and others.

Well, it’s the end of the line for Bar Cento and Bier Markt. Last week, the owners announced that both will be closing for good in early 2022. They also announced that new concepts would be created in their places and unveiled a few months later. Obviously, we’ll keep you updated on the developments.

The Big Egg Has Permanently Closed The Big Egg, the legendary once-

24/7 diner at West 52nd and Detroit, has permanently closed as of last weekend, according to a note taped to the door of the restaurant.

Enjoying two distinct lives — one as the original, beloved greasy spoon with as many devotees as health code violations that closed in 2002, and the second iteration, opened some seven years later with a fresh interior redo and little carried over from its first life other than the name and egg-shaped menu — the Big Egg had been a part of the near west side since at least the early 1950s.

As Scene wrote in 2002: “It was perhaps the only eatery to win Cleveland Magazine’s Silver Spoon Award and get shut down by health inspectors just 14 months later.”

A one-time favorite haunt of Flats revelers after a long evening of boozing, and any and all Cleveland night owls awake for reasons good and bad and eager for hash browns and eggs at 3 a.m., the original was beset by cleanliness issues in the late ’90s. “[Previous owner] Sam Hamadeh says patrons were driven away by devastating PR the Big Egg encountered in 1997,” Scene wrote in 2002. “That July, the city closed the place for five days, citing some 42 violations. The problems made it into The Plain Dealer and TV news; the results were catastrophic. ‘When they tell people not to visit a place, no one will,’ Hamadeh says. ‘It did long-term harm.’ He briefly ran TV commercials to combat the reports, but they weren’t enough.”

When his license expired and he chose not to renew it, he told Scene: “It’s going to be a shock for the city of Cleveland. But they don’t deserve it here.”

After Saigon 88, Pho Que Huong or Long Phung took stabs at operating in the space, The Big Egg returned in 2009 without 24/7 service and without its preceding problems with ownership by brothers Jimmy and Ahmad Labadibi.

It had lately operated, like many restaurants, on limited hours. The North Olmsted location remains open.

Architectural Justice Gallery & Cafe in Strongsville Will Be Permanently Closing in November Architectural Justice will be closing its Strongsville location, which offered a cafe, cooking classes and high-end home decor and furniture, as of Nov. 7.

Retail operations will be moved to its Medina location.

“Over the last four years, we have shared many great experiences with both our guests and our staff.

We appreciate our community’s patronage and also the hard work and dedication from our team both past and present,” an announcement on the site reads. “It’s with mixed feelings that we are announcing the closing of Architectural Justice Gallery & Cafe in Strongsville.

The good news is that you can still visit us at our Design Center in Medina where we will be moving our retail operations. Our last day of restaurant service at our Strongsville location will be November 7th.”

dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner

October 20-November 2, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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MUSIC VINDICATION’S ALL THEY EVER WANTED

Rock Hall Inductees Go-Go’s Gina Schock and Kathy Valentine discuss their new books

By Jeff Niesel

The Go-Go’s drummer Gina Schock.

JUST A DAY BEFORE THEY GET inducted into the Rock Hall and perform on Saturday, Oct. 30, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, GoGo’s members Gina Schock and Kathy Valentine will participate in a book signing event and interview at the Rock Hall.

The entire band, including Charlotte Caffey, Belinda Carlisle, Gina Schock, Kathy Valentine and Jane Wiedlin, will be interviewed by SiriusXM host Lori Majewski and the Rock Hall’s Director of Education Mandy Smith at noon on Friday, Oct. 29, on the outside Rock Hall Live PNC Stage. A book signing event will follow.

Then, on the outdoor stage at 3 p.m., the Rock Hall will unveil the 2021 Inductee signature panel with special guests from the Class of

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John Stapleton

2021.

Both events are free with a special event ticket that gives you access to the outdoor plaza as well as public spaces inside the Rock Hall. The ticket includes viewing of the GoGo’s interview and book signing and 2021 Inductee signature panel dedication. Rock Hall admission sold separately.

Books and merchandise will be available for purchase onsite. Only merchandise purchased onsite will be eligible for the band to sign.

Masks are required to participate in the book signing and while inside the building on Oct. 29 and 30.

For the health and safety of all involved, all fans attending the Rock Hall on Oct. 29 and 30 must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (14 days past final vaccination shot)

| clevescene.com | October 20-November 2, 2021

and provide proof of COVID-19 immunization or negative test taken within 48 hours.

In separate recent phone interviews, Schock and Valentine spoke about their respective books, Made in Hollywood and All I Ever Wanted. Schock’s book features posters, never before seen photographs and Polaroids, plus other ephemera from her archives.

Valentine’s book is a beautifully written memoir. Both capture what it was like to be associated with the Go-Go’s, a band that bridged the punk and new wave worlds.

Gina, I think your musical influences range from Cat Stevens to Aerosmith.

Schock: My taste is really eclectic. I like all sorts of music. I love David

Bowie, and I love Rush. I’m all over the place. It all has its value. Music moves and touches everybody. Music is for all the emotions and works differently in differently times.

Kathy, I think yours range from Suzi Quatro to Keith Richards and Eric Clapton and Cream.

Valentine: I tend to think of myself as being a fan of songs rather than any one style or one artist. I might love one song by an artist and not anything else. I’m very songoriented. I grew up with a really wide spectrum of music around me in my early teen years when I would go out to hear music. It’s only grown to include pop and R&B and blues and jazz and rock and alternative and hip-hop and jazz.

Can you each talk about your first concert? Gina, I think that was Led Zeppelin and the Who. Schock: Yeah, Led Zeppelin opened for the Who. It was pretty incredible.

That was my first show ever. My brother took me to that. That was a game changer for me. I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Or so I thought at age 11. I thought, “I’m going to up on that stage, and that’s it.” It’s a crazy dream, but it really happened. It’s unbelievable, but it really happened.

Valentine: Well, the first thing was seeing John Lee Hooker, but that was in a club. My first bigger concert was J. Geils Band when they were still a British blues rock band. My first big concert was when I saw ZZ Top play outside in a big old field.

Can you also talk about your first band?

Schock: Scratch’n’Sniff was my first real band. The other members were way better musicians than I was, but we found out about each other through friends. They came to my house, and I played with them on a couple of songs. They said they wanted me. We started rehearsing and playing different show. We were one of Baltimore’s first punk/ New Wave bands. We got to play the Marble Bar, which was the coolest, hippest place to play in Baltimore.

Valentine: The first band to get gigs and write-ups was the Violators.

That was in Texas. By the time, I joined the Go-Go’s, I had been in four or five other bands. I thought I was a seasoned pro.

Gina, talk about that first time you saw the Go-Go’s play at Club 88 in Los Angeles.

Schock: My friend took me to see them play. They were fantastic. I love them. They weren’t up there trying to be great musicians. They were just having fun and doing things to the best of their ability. The thing that stuck out was that they were having such a great time, and they were connecting with the audience.

The audience didn’t care if they made mistakes. Everyone was in it together.

I loved it. They were a diamond in the rough. I thought they had something special, and I felt there was something there that needed to be worked on so they could really shine.

Were you a hippie then as Jane Wiedlin maintains?

Schock: Oh, I don’t know what I was. I was just a musician. I didn’t quite look like whatever a punk was supposed to look like. Everyone had their own style. I was in need of a new hairdo. I did get that, and that changed a lot.

Kathy, talk about that first gig you played with the band at the Whiskey on New Year’s Eve. Valentine: I don’t think I can describe it any better than I do in the book. My first shows were sold out.

It was eight consecutive shows, two a night for four nights.

You each have put together books documenting your time with the band. Talk about your approach to documenting your history with the band.

Schock: I don’t know. I didn’t think about it. I just wrote what was my truth as I remember things. I went back to my daily planner which I had since 1978. I referred to that a lot. It wasn’t a diary as such. I did write down events and things that were going on at the time. I would refer back to that to help me remember dates and places.

Mainly, it was just looking back at those photos. When I initially started the project, it was going to just be photos. I wasn’t thinking about having any text. The book publishers asked me about that.

I thought that it made sense. The pictures do tell stories, and I was there. I wrote about what was going on. Kathy’s book is a memoir. Mine is more about the photographs.

Valentine: Well, I had a strategy in mind. I want to add being an author and writer to my career path. I’m very interested in writing literary fiction. I thought that would be a difficult first book to get people interested in. It was a strategy in terms of writing a memoir. I thought of it was a story that should be told.

I don’t think there are enough women getting their stories out there about how music is just as important and vital to us as it is to men. Plus, I had a book deal. If you know your book is going to published, it makes the whole job a lot more motivating.

I had a desire to write and had been writing essays and poetry and songs for years. I had taken creative writing classes. I knew I was capable of writing a good book. It was just a matter of learning the process. I had day planners and faxes going back to the very beginning. I had journals and all the press we had ever done and could look at different stories

from different cities when we were on tour. I also have a very good memory.

I wanted [the book] to resonate with people. I’m not a big celebrity like Britney Spears. I’m just a female musician in a band. I’m not a big name. To me, it had to be a book that resonated on a very human and personal level. My favorite memoirs aren’t rock memoirs but rather books by Mary Karr and Cheryl Strayed. My favorite memoirs are literary memoirs and not rock memoirs with the exception of Patti Smith. I thought if it moved the story forward, those things from my life could give context about why it was so important for me to be in a band.

What drives a 15-year-old girl in 1974 decide to be in a band? That’s not what most 15-year-old girls wanted to do. It’s about my childhood and my longing to feel like I was part of a family and get away from a painful experience growing up gives a lot of context.

I hate to sound nostalgic, but reading your books made me realize how great the music that came out in the ’80s was. There were bands like the Go-Go’s, the Human League, the Police, INXS and acts such as David Bowie and Rolling Stones were still relevant too.

Schock: It was a really great time. I love the ’70s and ’80s. That’s when I was growing up. It was a really fun time in music, and everything was happening. You could turn on the radio and hear reggae or pop or R&B or hard rock. It was all over the place. It’s not like that as much anymore. There were so many genres happening all at once. There was a place for everybody and there was a lot of interest in all those categories. There was a scene for every one of those genres of music.

Valentine: Every decade or era has its high and low moments. I’m a fan of songs. I don’t like every song David Bowie did even though I love him. I don’t necessarily identify with the ’80s as the glory days or that that was the best music ever. I think most people who were teenagers then might do that. For me, I was a teenager through Zeppelin and the Faces and the earlier Stones. That music you’re listening to when you’re coming of age really gets ahold of your soul.

The band’s break-up really broke your hearts. Talk about what it took to get past that.

Schock: Um, you know, when I

got my own record deal [as House of Schock], that changed it a lot. I realized I could do it. I put that band together. We did one show and got a record deal. That really knocked me off my feet. I realized there was a lot I could do. That’s about it. I was fine. When we got back together, it was all cool with me. I had gotten a solo deal, so I didn’t feel bad. People had been calling each other here and there and then, we got the call from Jane Fonda, and that’s when we all started playing together.

Valentine: For me, getting sober helped. It helped me become a better person and understand how I wanted to live life. For me personally, grudges and bitterness and being mad at people was not how I wanted to go through life.

The Rock Hall Induction is a long time coming. What did it feel like to learn you finally made it in?

Schock: Well, over the last several years, we’ve been like, “Are you kidding me? I don’t even care anymore.”

Then, when it really happened, everybody was really excited.

Valentine: It felt really good, not only for the band but individually.

I’ve been a rock ’n’ roll musician for over 40 years. I’ve been in bands non-stop. Covid was the first time I wasn’t in a band playing in front of people. I’ve devoted my life to playing music, and it’s noteworthy. I think the Go-Go’s had more influence and impact than given credit for. I think both on an individual level for myself and for the band, it’s a welcomed feather in the cap.

What do you have planned for the ceremony?

Schock: They asked us to do three songs, so we will.

Valentine: It’ll be like every other time we performed except it’s being filmed for HBO. I don’t know. I don’t think about what it’ll be like until we’re playing and in the moment.

Any chance you’ll come out in tutus?

Schock: I don’t think so [laughs].

Those days are gone. The tutus had their time. Everyone is working on what they want to wear. Some people are having something made. We will celebrate the band, and I am excited about it. It’s kind of stressful too because it’s a big deal.

scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene

October 20-November 2, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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SAVAGE LOVE THE GOODIES

By Dan Savage Hey, Dan: I’m a woman in her 40s in a relationship with a man, and I have my first STI with symptoms. Genital warts — yay! I noticed them about two months ago (near my b-hole) and went to the gyno today and had them treated. My question is, do I need to tell my boyfriend? We’ve been dating for about five months, and we don’t use protection because I have an IUD. More background info: My BF hasn’t gone down on me. He wants to, but I’m very subby and it’s hard for me to get off that way, so I’ve been putting him off. And now that I want him to try, I have warts. I don’t know if he’s seen them. Maybe? We haven’t had sex from behind in months and I think that may be why. Maybe he saw them before I did and stopped wanting to have sex in that position? He did want to fuck me from behind a couple of days ago, but I said no because I was embarrassed. Do I need to tell him I have HPV/genital warts? We’ve been having unprotected sex about five times a week for the last five months.

Worrying About Really Terrible Situation “Yes, WARTS should disclose this to her partner,” said Dr. Ina Park, a professor of family and community medicine at the University of California San Francisco. “Hopefully he will be calm and supportive about it, and it won’t be a big deal for the two of them.”

What you’re facing, WARTS, is what I’ve long described as a “one thing/everything” disclosure scenario. Meaning, you’ll be telling your boyfriend one thing he needs to know about you when you make this disclosure — that you have a very common and easily transmissible STI — but his reaction will tell everything you need to know about him. If he isn’t calm and supportive out of the gate, WARTS, or can’t pivot to calm and supportive quickly, you’ll know he’s not anyone you want in your bed or up your butt.

“And while I usually don’t try to pinpoint where HPV comes from in terms of ‘blaming’ a specific partner,” said Park, “if the boyfriend does freak out, I would make this next point: Given that the warts showed up for the first time so soon after starting this new relationship, it’s likely that WARTS’ current

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partner gave her the HPV that’s causing these warts.”

Dr. Park, who is also an STI prevention consultant to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, points out that the strains of HPV most likely to cause genital warts — types 6 and 11, for those keeping score — will typically start showing symptoms a few months after someone starts sleeping with a new partner who has undisclosed or undiagnosed HPV. “In some cases, it can be longer, and some folks won’t manifest warts for two years after exposure,” added Park. “But there have been several studies in U.S. women showing the average time to development of warts after HPV exposure is three to six months. So, while we can’t prove which of WARTS’ partners gave her HPV, she is in the perfect window timewise with the current relationship.”

Which is not to suggest your boyfriend knew he had HPV and didn’t disclose or take proactive steps to protect you, WARTS, like wearing a condom, which would’ve provided you with a significant degree of protection. Like most people with HPV — assuming he has HPV — your boyfriend most likely wasn’t aware he had it. (And he may not have it, but he probably does; most sexually active adults do.)

Now there’s a safe and effective HPV vaccine — a vaccine that protects people against HPV-related cancers — and ideally people should get their children vaccinated against HPV before they’re sexually active.

But even sexually active adults up to age 45, including adults who’ve already had HPV, can benefit from the getting the HPV vaccine.

“Since we know that WARTS’ immune system didn’t clear HPV very easily — because she had warts — it’s a great idea for her to get the HPV vaccine,” said Park. “It will protect her from the strains of HPV that she hasn’t already been exposed to, including other strains that cause warts and cancer. And WARTS should bear in mind that it often takes multiple treatments to get rid of warts.

So, if they don’t go away immediately or appear to go away and come back, she needs to know that can be a normal part of the process.”

Park is the author of the wildly

| clevescene.com | October 20-November 2, 2021

entertaining memoir Strange Bedfellows: Adventures in the Science, History, and Surprising Secrets of STDs. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @InaParkMD.

Hey, Dan: My brother has been submitting to a “FinDom,” something I didn’t need to know and only found out after our mother “accidentally” read his emails during a visit. (No accident. Our mother snoops.) I spoke to him about it because I was worried my brother — who has a well-paying job but has never been good with money — was being exploited. Well, as it turns out, this woman put my brother on a budget. She accepts his $200 “tributes” on the condition that he sends proof of having put $500 into a retirement savings account. So, my brother went from having zero savings to having nearly $120,000 in a retirement account. (This has been going on for a while.) I wanted to send this woman a thank-you note (I have her email, thanks to mom), but I thought that would be intrusive, so I’m writing to you instead in the hope that she reads you: Thank you for being an ethical person and getting my brother to do what I never could — save for his future — and I’m sorry about that crazed email from our mom.

Intrusion Reveals A Sincerely Ethical Person I’m glad your brother found a goodie when he went looking for a FinDom, IRASEP. That said, I’m sure there are unscrupulous FinDoms out there — just like there are unscrupulous financial advisors and real estate developers and megachurch pastors.

But while some FinDoms presumably take more than their subs/clients can afford to give, I think abusive FinDoms are rare. You don’t have to take my word for that: A lot of FinDoms share their receipts on Twitter, and it’s rare to see one accepting more than $100 from a client/sub during a single “draining” session.

P.S. Seeing as the good FinDom your brother serves has already received an unhinged email from one member of your family — that “crazed” and most likely abusive and shaming email from your mother — you should go ahead and email her your thanks directly instead of hoping she sees your note in my column.

Hey, Dan: I’ll keep the background brief: I’m a woman in a nearly twenty-year-long monogamous marriage. Before we were married, my husband was involved with a particular woman. She left him, but they stayed friends. Early on, I was jealous and more than a little insecure.

He ultimately married me, but she never got married. Since then, he and I have gone through the ups and downs of raising two kids together, but we’re in a really solid place, and this woman and I became friends long ago. She was recently diagnosed with an aggressive, early-onset breast cancer. It had already spread before she found the lump. They’ve given her a year. My husband went with her to her first chemo treatment. That night, he told me she was nervous and he wanted to make her feel better, so he kissed her “to distract her.” I asked if he also slept with her “to distract her.”

He said of course not and apologized and said it wouldn’t happen again.

I’ve had a couple of weeks to think it over, and now I’m thinking I should give him my blessing to sleep with his ex. My twenty-year-old self would be horrified, but honestly, Dan, if I had only one good year left, I would want some hot sex with someone who cared about me before I went. If he can give her some pleasure in what little time she has left, I wouldn’t hold that against him. Bad idea? Crazy idea?

Sharing Is Caring, Kapiche?

It’s not a crazy idea, SICK. It’s a beautiful, complicated, generous, fraught and compassionate idea. You want this woman, this rival who became your friend, to feel loved and to feel physical pleasure at this terrifying and heartbreaking time. We should all be so lucky to have rivals in our lives like you, SICK. Talk with your husband about it. It may not be something he wants, and it may not be something his ex wants or needs right now. But if they both want it, and sex would come as a comfort to the rival who became your friend, giving them the gift of your blessing would be a mitzvah to top all mitzvahs.

mail@savagelove.net t@fakedansavage www.savagelovecast.com

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